Catchfish

Plato once said that what was thought to be reality was nothing more than shadows on a cavern wall. In this allegory, reality is its own shadow, a mirage of itself that is no less real to the one perceiving it. As technology advances, this allegory becomes more and more literal as technology like the Apple Vision Pro’s mixed reality creates entire worlds contained in a simple headset. Catchfish harnesses that ability to grant users the joy of fishing, turning shadows on the wall into reality as users are brought to a vibrant underwater world. In a world both segmented and drawn together by technology, Catchfish provides a reprieve into a simpler past.

Catchfish dredges two problems right out of the water. The first is that the upcoming Apple Vision Pro will have few native apps upon release; the other is that in an increasingly modern world, too many people pass their whole lives by without experiencing the unique thrill of fishing. To the first point, Catchfish is built specifically for the Apple Vision Pro. Unlike many apps, it will not simply be ported over–it has been developed primarily, and solely, for the Apple Vision Pro, granting it an integration with the operating system that few other apps on release may be able to promise. To the second point, Catchfish secludes the user into a private world where nothing matters but fish and the user themself, letting them enjoy fishing between meetings or while relaxing at home. Catchfish challenges users to use skills to catch fish that they would need in real life, such as reeling fish in at the right time. It also supplies users the pride associated with fishing in real life; in Catchfish, users may share their accomplishments directly to social media as they catch fish, build their journal, and complete challenges. Like Plato’s shadows on the wall, Catchfish seeks to create not only a simulacrum of fishing, but a (mixed) reality of it.

With the Apple Vision Pro’s mixed reality capabilities, Catchfish creates a window into fishing against the backdrop of the user’s daily life, with users able to dip in and out with ease. Users catch fish using hand gestures broadly used across the Apple Vision Pro. Navigation through the game is through gestures and hand tracking, afforded, again, by the Apple Vision Pro. Catchfish seamlessly blends body, eye, and mind to craft an immersive fishing experience for users. Users may enjoy splashes of fishing throughout their day or a dive into the game, depending on their want and need. Catchfish is designed to be as immersive as the user wishes, never too deep nor too shallow–unlike in Plato’s cave, users may dip in and out freely. Catchfish invites users to a beautiful world in which fishing is the only reality that matters, letting the troubles of reality drift away with the current.