Be still my beating heart, or I’ll be taken for a fool. It’s official: Niantic, the same development team behind the global phenomenon mobile AR game Pokemon Go is working on a Harry Potter AR game to release next year in 2018. We don’t know much about the game yet, but you can guarantee I’m ready to learn more.
Rumors of the game’s development were shut down last year, but now it’s officially official according to a report from Tech Crunch. The game is being developed in collaboration with Warner Bros. Interactive’s new Potter-focused sub brand, Portkey Games, which has the most terrific company name of all-time.
According to the scarce details we have so far it sounds like the Harry Potter game will share similarities with Niantic’s original project, Ingress, and by relation likely be quite similar to Pokemon Go in many aspects. Location-based gameplay is all but guaranteed, as well as phone screen-based interactions. If the overworld map’s visual style resembles the Marauder’s Map I’m probably going to lose the ability to contain myself. What if you had to say “I solemnly swear I am up to no good” to reveal secrets! This thing just develops itself, at that point.
Since the fictional Wizarding World supposedly exists in secret right around our Muggle eyes, it would be fitting to have location-based features in this AR game. Let people uncover hidden wizard treasures, peak through magical barriers, and find their own local Platform 9 3/4. And they better let me duel somebody. I can cast a mean Stupefy.
That’s about all we know right now but we’ve reached out to contacts at both Warner Bros. and Niantic to find out more. Let us know what you think down in the comments below!
h/t: IGN
