Eight months ago,Pokemon GOdeveloperNiantic announced the AR gameHarry Potter: Wizards Unite. The upcoming mobile game will let players fight powerful enemies, learn spells, team up with other witches and wizards, and more. However, despite this game being based around J.K. Rowling’s famous works, Niantic says that it will also take some cues fromPokemon GO.
In a new interview, Niantic CEO John Hanke shed a little more light on what fans could expect fromHarry Potter: Wizards Unite. The executive revealed that the game will draw fromPokemon GO"in terms of what worked about that game." In particular, “it will be a game where you go outside” where players will be “drawn to new places” and will playHarry Potter: Wizards Unitewith their friends.
Those who lovePokemon GOwill be delighted with these comments. That game recently introduced atrading and friendship feature, rewarding players who make an effort to cultivate their friendships rather than go at it alone. The friendship between Harry, Hermione, and Ron is a major draw to theHarry Potterseries, so many will be keen to see if Niantic is able to makePokemon GO’s friendship system work forWizards Uniteas well. TheHarry Pottergame could also have its own magical version of raids, and perhaps players could trade mystical creatures and artifacts.
But with that said,Harry Potter: Wizards Unitewon’t just be aHarry Potter-themed reskin ofPokemon GO. Hanke also says that Niantic plans to use the game as “a place to explore new gameplay mechanics and new technology.” While the Niantic executive wasn’t especially forthcoming on what these new gameplay features and new tech may look like, fans can infer given the developer’s recent announcements.
For example, Niantic has also revealed two concepts forcross-platform multiplayer AR gamesthat let players on iOS and Android play against and with one another. Moreover, the developer showed off a proof of concept video for something it’s calling Codename: Niantic Occlusion which allows the AR layers of its games to look more realistic.
With Niantic only demoing these tech developments (officially, the features have not been announced for any game), it’s not guaranteed that they will be present inHarry Potter: Wizards Unite. But the developer’s interest in using the game as a testing ground is tantalizing, and it may give rise to features that fans have yet to imagine.
Harry Potter: Wizards Uniteis scheduled to release in the second half of 2018.
