• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, March 16, 2009

Attempting to attract a generation of kids growing up on Twitter and text messages, The Topps Co. has introduced a series of baseball trading cards whose players come to life through a standard Web camera and technology.

Consumers who buy the Topps 2009 Series 1 deck of baseball cards for $1.99 have an option to pull the "magic" card from the deck, sign onto ToppsTown.com with a code, download a browser plug in and pitch, bat or catch in games served up from the Web site. The cards, which sport members of major league baseball (MLB) franchises, also are available through the Topps Attax baseball card game.

The consumer's Web camera pointed at the two-dimensional card laying on someone's desk or in their hand projects the picture of Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria to the computer screen, for example, allowing the picture of the baseball player to come to life in 3D.

The augmented reality technology from Total Immersion lives on Topps's server. It recognizes the image of the player on the card. One player from each baseball team has been digitized.

"Topps hopes to stir new excitement about baseball cards, particularly kids who tells us they like collecting trading cards but no longer rely on them for information," said Steve Grimes, chief digital officer, The Topps Co. "So, we want to give them new uses for the cards, whether that's 3D animation or playing games or unlocking other experiences online."

While the games and technology aim to breathe new life into the art of collecting baseball cards, Topps's strategy has a downside. Fans can't save the game.

Today consumers need the Web connection, which relies on a server to bring up the animation and games. But Grimes said Topps is looking at a version that will let baseball fans download a piece of software onto their computer and save future versions of the game.

Fans can play the games today on PCs and a Mac version will become available by the end of March, said Greg Davis, GM at Total Immersion, Los Angeles.

Grimes said Topps is looking at expanding the baseball product line next season, as well as talking with other leagues and organizations. The biggest challenge has been sending a simple and straightforward message to consumers about the options and features such as where on the Web site to turn on the technology and play the game.

For Topps, which creates and markets sports, augmented reality baseball cards marks a dramatic shift as baseball card collectors experience the biggest change in the cards' history. For Total Immersion, it represents the company's foray into consumer applications through a top brand.

Baseball trading cards haven't changed much since 1952. The printing technology and quality of the photography has improved, but a card is still a card, Grimes said. Total Immersion's application doesn't require Topps to print anything special on the cards because it's all in the software.

The deal was made possible through Michael Eisner, founder of The Torante Company, which owns The Topps Co., and Logistix, the company that helped conceive the Topps/TI 3D Live program and introduced the two companies.