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'Pokémon: Let's Go' will connect 'Pokémon Go' and Switch this fall
A new series of Pokémon games coming to the Switch this fall will link the "classic RPG experience" with 2016's augmented reality hit Pokémon Go. Pokémon: Let's Go Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go Evee! will also support multiplayer, and there's a Poké Ball Plus accessory that works to throw Poké Balls in-game as a motion controller and works as a Pokémon Go Plus when you're away from home.
Niantic is building AR maps with help from 'Pokémon Go' players
Niantic may have split from Google years ago, but there's a little bit of Google culture left -- namely, the Maps part. The developer told Reuters that it's planning to create 3D augmented reality maps with the help of Pokémon Go players' cameras. Gamers would help map public spaces (such as parks and plazas) so that the AR experience could extend to the entire environment, not just characters. And crucially, these wouldn't be limited to Niantic's own games -- the company hopes to offer these AR maps to third-party developers.
Niantic details this year's 'Pokémon Go' events
Last year, Niantic hosted a day-long Pokémon Go festival in Chicago with 20,000 diehard fans of the smash hit mobile game. Unfortunately, it was a disaster, with both the local data networks, and the game's servers, unable to cope with that many players at once. It recovered from that initially bumpy (and expensive) start to host events in Japan, Korea and Europe, and now it's hoping to maintain that streak this year.
Niantic settles 'Pokémon Go' festival lawsuit for $1.5 million
Niantic has already refunded the ticket costs for attendees of 2017's disastrous Pokémon Go Fest, but it's now poised to pay more. The company is settling a class action lawsuit over the festival to the tune of $1.57 million, with an official settlement website due to appear by May 25th. The payout will cover hotel and transportation costs for the many attendees whose event was ruined by connectivity and logistical problems. Be sure to read the fine print if you were one of those affected, though -- you'll need evidence you were there.
‘Pokémon Go’ fetch quests could bring you closer to Mew
Well over a year later, Niantic is adding more traditional gameplay to Pokémon Go. Soon, you'll be able to tackle "Research Tasks." Essentially, they're fetch-quests like you'd find in a typical RPG. The carrot on the string? Finding out if the "series of mysterious happenings" in the game are related to Mew, the illusive psychic, Mythical Pokémon. You'll pick up normal research tasks (finding and catching predetermined pocket monsters, battling) from Pokéstops, while "Special Research" objectives from Professor Willow are rather ambiguous.
Niantic to host 48 real-life Ingress events around the world
Niantic hasn't forgotten its old, less-popular game Ingress even though its name has mostly been associated with Pokémon Go these past couple of years. After giving us a sneak peek of its revamp called Ingress Prime late last year, the AR game-maker has revealed that it's hosting 48 free real-world events for the hidden-reality sci-fi game in 2018 and 2019. They'll take place around the globe, adding layers of mystery in augmented reality to cities, turning them into interactive locations where players can find "portals," mostly on public art and landmarks.
Niantic buys Escher to power shared world AR experiences
While Pokémon Go was a big step forward for AR in gaming, it appears that Niantic, the studio behind the game, has grander ambitions. This week, the company announced the acquisition of Escher Reality, which focuses on "persistent, cross platform, multi-user experiences," according to the release.
Say goodbye to 'Pokémon Go' on older iPhones
If you're a hardcore Pokémon Go trainer with an old phone, it might be time for an upgrade. Niantic has announced its plans to drop support for iOS devices that can't be updated to iOS 11, so phones released in or before 2013 (that's the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5C) aren't going to work with the game anymore.
‘Pokémon Go’ will soon incorporate real-world weather
Pokémon Go is getting a slew of new Pokémon this week as well as a dynamic weather system later this month. The game will soon reflect the real weather around you and that will affect which Pokémon you see and how strong they are. If it's raining, for example, you'll see more water-type Pokémon than usual and they'll start out with a higher CP than they typically would.
'Ingress' revamp will take cues from 'Pokémon Go'
With all the buzz around Pokémon Go and an upcoming Harry Potter game, it's easy to forget about Niantic's original augmented reality title, Ingress. It's looking old in the tooth, and not just because of its 2012-era visuals -- it's using aging tech that was made long, long before augmented reality hit the mainstream. The pioneering release is about to catch up, though. Niantic has offered a peek at Ingress Prime, a revamp of its hidden-reality sci-fi game due to launch in 2018. It'll sport a more polished, up-to-date design, but the biggest improvements will come from Pokémon Go... and not just the expected under-the-hood elements.
'Pokémon Go' legendary Ho-Oh is catchable for limited time
After amassing 500 million Pokémon in less than 48 hours, Pokémon Go players seemed primed to smash the Global Catch Challenge to nab 3 billion pocket monsters. Sure enough, they did, and (as promised) Niantic made region-locked Pokémon Farfetch'd available globally for two days. As it turns out, that wasn't the only reward the developer was planning. It's now making Ho-Oh, one of the Johto region's two legendary Pokémon, up for grabs in Raid Battles worldwide until December 12th.
'Pokémon Go' is making major changes to raids
Niantic has announced big changes to Pokémon Go raids, designed to even the playing field for trainers at all levels -- and pleasing Magikarp fans in the process. The raid system, particularly EX Raids, has faced criticism because of the way it seems to favor certain players and locations, but the changes -- a result of field-testing and feedback -- should rectify things.
'Pokémon Go' players catch 500 million Pokémon in under two days
Spurred by Pokémon Go's latest event, players have caught 500 million pocket monsters in less than two days. Developer Niantic kickstarted the Global Catch Challenge on Sunday (inviting fans to collectively catch a whopping 3 billion Pokémon in return for prizes) and it's well on its way to becoming the game's biggest hunt yet.
Harry Potter AR game is coming from the makers of 'Pokémon Go'
It's hard to exaggerate the success of Pokémon Go, Niantic's augmented reality game. That's why it's such big news that the company has announced the hit game's successor. Niantic Labs will once again work with a much-loved property, but this time, it's Harry Potter. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is set to launch in 2018, in cooperation with Warner Brothers Interactive and Portkey Games, reports TechCrunch.(Update: Niantic has since officially confirmed this news and released more details on the game.)
'Pokémon Go' developer buys social animation startup Evertoon
Game developer Niantic has become a well-known name since it released Pokémon Go to massive popularity last summer. Unfortunately, the game has recently seen a rather sharp decline in its active user community in the past year and a half. Perhaps that explains the company's recent acquisition of a relatively unknown startup, Evertoon, which makes an app for creating animations with customized avatars. "Today I am excited to announce that we have acquired the Evertoon team," wrote Niantic boss John Hanke, "who bring with them a wealth of talent and experience in mobile products, tools for creativity, and community building."
Niantic CEO: AR will reach full potential 'when we get the glasses'
Imagine playing Pokémon Go not with your phone, but with a pair of augmented reality glasses. That is the future that John Hanke, founder and CEO of Niantic (the company behind Pokemon Go) wants. "The potential for AR is immense," he said at the Wall Street Journal's D.Live conference today, adding that while AR on phones is a good start, the ultimate goal would be to have augmented reality on glasses.
Generation II Legendaries debut in 'Pokémon Go' today
Starting today, Pokémon Go players will get to battle a new set of Legendary Pokémon. Raikou, Entei and Suicune, originally from the Johto region, will start to pop up in different areas around the world. From now until September 30th, those in the Americas will have the chance to battle Raikou, while players throughout Europe and Africa will get access to Entei and people in the Asia-Pacific region will be able to challenge Suicune.
Fighting Mewtwo in 'Pokémon Go' is invite-only
Mewtwo finally made an appearance in Pokémon Go today in Japan. The legendary pocket monster helped show off the new Exclusive Raid Battle system in Japan, and soon will be making its way to domestic shores.
Some Pokémon Go events in Europe postponed after Chicago debacle
Last weekend's Pokémon Go Fest did not go well, with technical issues and cell coverage problems preventing many players from participating at the event's Chicago location in Grant Park. Afterward, the game's makers refunded players and offered other goodies, but complaints have persisted and there's even a reported lawsuit. Seemingly as a result of all of the issues, Niantic just announced it's postponing two pairs of Pokémon Safari events scheduled in Europe to "guarantee the best possible gameplay experience."
Pokémon Go Fest's big flop shows Niantic needs to think bigger
This past weekend's Pokémon Go Fest felt like a bit of a flashback to 2016. Users were having connection problems and couldn't even sign into the game. People were angry, and refunds were doled out. But the truth is that game developer Niantic has spent the past year ironing out those issues, and the game has improved quite a bit. The festival in Chicago was intended as a love letter to those who stuck through it all and kept playing, while also giving the company a chance to unveil long-awaited Legendary Pokémon. Instead, it was a mess that showed the developer is still struggling with unexpected success.
