Niantic’s approach to mobile game development has yielded remarkable results over the past few years.Pokemon GOhas continued to break recordsin terms of revenue for the developer, but that is far from Niantic’s only AR and GPS-based game. WithPokemon GObeing the breakout game in the category, there have been plenty of other titles that have utilized the same formula, including from competitors. And apparently, many of them are doing some things better, specifically in rural areas.
Along withPokemon GO, Niantic also hasIngressand thetwo-year-oldHarry Potter: Wizards Unite. The games differ when it comes to the goals and objectives, but the same AR and GPS elements apply, and many of the same real-life locations are used in each game. However, non-Niantic games likeThe Walking Dead: Our WorldandJurassic World: Alivemay have a much better handle on this when it comes to less-populated areas.
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Reddit user u/ConnorCarbon took to r/harrypotterwu with some rather interesting findings when it comes to Niantic AR and GPS-based games compared to some of its competitors. ConnerCarbon claims that Niantic’s titles are barren in rural areas. While a city location ofPokemon GOcould be packed with Gyms, PokeStops, and Pokemon aplenty, a rural location may have absolutely nothing. ConnerCarbon shared some images of Niantic’s three games (soon to be five withNiantic makingPikminandCatan: World Explorers)compared to rivals as proof.
In a rural location, the images ofHarry Potter: Wizards Unite, Pokemon GO, andIngressshow the games being completely empty. If someone lived in this area or were driving through, there would be nothing to do. Meanwhile, the same location is shown forJurassic World: Alive, Orna, Otherworld Heroes, Magic Streets, The Walking Dead: Our World, World of Monsters,and others, the games are all filled with things to do. The streets are bustling, the worlds are alive, and monsters and activities are all about. The comparison betweenNianticand the other games is quite stark.
When it comes to many of the games that Niantic services, such asPokemonor the upcomingPikmin,rural areas should be flooded with activities of some sort. Recently anature exploration attraction forPokemonwas announced, which shows how vivid the world ofPokemonwould be within nature. Meanwhile, games likeNew Pokemon Snapcapture this as well. Apart from being realistic with the source material, video games should simply be fun. If there are players who live in less-populated areas and cannot enjoy the game, that is an issue. Whether this is withHarry Potter: Wizards Unite, Pokemon GO, orIngress–or Niantic’s upcoming projects–the hope is that the developer fills out these areas with content.
