Gaming pioneers Philip and Andrew Oliver are returning to their hometown of Trowbridge to launch a new interactive Easter adventure for families.
The Oliver Twins will be in the town on Tuesday 24 March to introduce Billy Bunny’s Easter Egg Hunt, a digital trail that begins on Saturday 28 March in partnership with Trowbridge Chamber.
Having grown up locally and attended Grove School, Clarendon School and Trowbridge college, the twins have built an extraordinary 40-year career in the gaming industry.
Their journey began in 1982 on the ZX81, leading to a string of best-selling 8-bit games and the creation of the iconic Dizzy series, which helped establish Codemasters as a global brand.
They later founded Blitz Games in Leamington Spa, which became one of Europe’s most successful independent games developers, employing more than 600 people at its peak.
The new Easter trail, created by their latest company Panivox, uses interactive storytelling technology to bring Trowbridge town centre to life.
Families can begin the experience by scanning a QR code at The Toy Shop in Castle Street, launching an animated story where Billy Bunny needs help finding his stolen Easter eggs.
At each stop, participants solve clues and unlock the next part of the story on their phones, encouraging exploration of local shops and cafés.
Trowbridge Chamber Director Megan Witty said, “The Chamber organises regular town centre trails throughout the year, but this is our first digital adventure and promises to be great fun.”
She added, “The Billy Bunny trail will be a wonderful way of encouraging people to rediscover Trowbridge’s wonderful businesses and cafes.”
Philip Oliver, Co-Founder of Panivox, said, “It’s fantastic to bring one of our early new trials back to Trowbridge, where our story began.”
He added, “We hope the community enjoys helping Billy Bunny and that the students we speak to are inspired to embrace the creative power of technology in their own careers.”
During their visit, the twins will also meet local businesses, revisit the computer shop where they bought their first equipment, and speak to pupils at Clarendon Academy and Wiltshire College & University Centre.
The Easter trail promises to be a fun, family-friendly way to explore Trowbridge while experiencing a fresh blend of storytelling and technology.
For more information about the trail and for a sneak preview of the Billy Bunny animation, see www.trowbridgechamber.com/events.
