The Force Awakens in Google: #ChooseYourSide game adds Star Wars themes to Gmail, Chrome, Maps and more

  • Users can select either the light side or the dark side at Google Star Wars
  • Once a side has been selected, Easter eggs are added to Google apps
  • This includes turning the Gmail loading bar into a lightsaber and using images from The Force Awakens as backgrounds in new tabs on Chrome 

As anticipation for next month's Star Wars release reaches fever pitch, Google is asking users to pick a side in the upcoming battle. 

On the homepage of Google Star Wars, fans must choose between joining either the 'light side' or the 'dark side'.

Once a side has been selected, their Google apps will be gradually transformed to show a variety of Star Wars-related themes and Easter eggs. 

On the homepage of Google Star Wars, fans must choose between joining either the 'light side' or the 'dark side' (pictured). Once a side has been selected, their Google apps will be gradually transformed to show a variety of Star Wars-related themes and Easter eggs

On the homepage of Google Star Wars, fans must choose between joining either the 'light side' or the 'dark side' (pictured). Once a side has been selected, their Google apps will be gradually transformed to show a variety of Star Wars-related themes and Easter eggs

These include turning the Gmail loading bar into a lightsaber, using images from The Force Awakens film as backgrounds in new tabs on Chrome and making the progress bar on YouTube videos glow like a lightsaber. 

The images and the colour of the lightsaber depend on which side has been chosen, and people can switch sides at any time. 

THE DARK FORCE MOTORCYCLE

Ural joined the dark side with the recent unveiling of its limited-edition Star Wars-themed motorcycle - complete with lightsaber.

The $14,999 (£10,000) Dark Force is coated in gloss black paint and designed with a 3ft (one metre) extendable lightsaber. 

Each motorcycle is designed with the standard 749 cc OHV, two-cylinder, air-cooled, boxer-style engine that powers the entire Ural line up.

The bikes are also equipped with a four-speed forward, a single speed reverse transmission and can hit speeds up to 70mph (113km/h).

In a blog post, Clay Bavor, vice president of Product Management at Google wrote: 'It probably isn't a surprise that there are tons of Star Wars fans like me here at Google. 

'You can regularly spot Darth Vaders, dogs dressed like Yoda, and even the occasional stormtrooper, roaming the halls of our data centres (probably still looking for those droids). 

'We reached out to our friends at Lucasfilm and Disney, and since then we've been working together on building google.com/starwars

'It's a place for fans, by fans, and starting today you can choose the light or the dark side, and then watch your favourite Google apps like Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube, Chrome and many more transform to reflect your path.

'And that's just the beginning. 

'We've got more coming between now and opening night - the Millennium Falcon in all its (virtual reality) glory included, so stay tuned. 

A user's avatar turns blue when they select the light side
It turns red when they select the dark side

A user's avatar turns blue when they select the light side (left), and red when they select the dark side (right)

The Easter eggs include turning the Gmail loading bar into a lightsaber, using images from The Force Awakens film as backgrounds in new tabs on Chrome (pictured) and making the progress bar on YouTube videos glow

The Easter eggs include turning the Gmail loading bar into a lightsaber, using images from The Force Awakens film as backgrounds in new tabs on Chrome (pictured) and making the progress bar on YouTube videos glow

'And we've hidden a few Easter eggs, too. So awaken the Force within, and be on the lookout for things from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…'

The changes appear across the various apps gradually meaning they may not appear straightaway. 

To see images from The Force Awakens, users must enable the Awaken The Force Within browser extension.  

The images and the colour of the lightsaber depend on which side has been chosen, and people can switch sides at any time. The changes appear across the apps gradually meaning they may not appear straightaway

The images and the colour of the lightsaber depend on which side has been chosen, and people can switch sides at any time. The changes appear across the apps gradually meaning they may not appear straightaway

 

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