Niantic is certainly still busy pumping new content into Pokémon GO, but it seems that the company is also very much looking ahead for “new experiences that will weave together the digital and physical world,” according to a recent tweet.
To back up this claim, Niantic announced a new partnership with Microsoft and released a new video clip demonstrating a new, proof-of-concept project which would allow players to interact with Pokémon in the real world with Microsoft HoloLens.
We’re thrilled to collaborate with @microsoft & @hololens on new experiences that will weave together the digital and physical world. Check out this proof-of-concept demo, built on our planet-scale platform, and the amazing possibilities that could await. https://t.co/ig0bQUIQ8b pic.twitter.com/gGk5djVayC
— Niantic, Inc. (@NianticLabs) March 2, 2021
The demo shows Niantic CEO John Hanke walking around a park with the HoloLens technology, with many wild Pokémon appearing around him. He uses his hands to summon interactive menus in VR-style fashion and treats Pikachu to a berry. Niantic also seems keen to reintroduce the social aspects of Pokémon GO into the new project, as the demo ends with the tease of an impending Pokémon battle between players.
In a recent Niantic blog post, Hanke explains, “For our part, we’re committed to leveraging and expanding our platform to build real-world AR experiences for as many devices as possible and reaching a diverse set of players no matter their physical location.”
“We’ve only scratched the surface,” Hanke continues. “We know the years ahead to be filled with important achievements which will serve as waypoints in AR’s journey to become a life-changing computing platform. We’re thrilled to be leading the way.”
Leave a Comment
Written by Reece Heather
A lifelong Nintendo fan and a longtime editor at Zelda Universe, Reece will forever be grateful that he somehow dodged the Naughty List of Christmas 1998, when Santa delivered the life-changing gift of a Nintendo 64 with Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie, and Mario Kart 64. When he's not playing games, Reece is usually reading Punisher comics, delving helplessly into the weirdest depths of anime and manga, or spending time with his cocker spaniel Gracie -- the goodest girl ever!
