Big Announcements in AR Gaming & More

In the last few days, two companies revealed exciting augmented reality projects that could spell the next chapter in the world of AR gaming. And apart from entertainment, there’s another large investment in an augmented initiative that deserves your attention. Week over week, the public and private interest for AR in 2019 continues to grow.

Niantic and Rovio Divulge Details on Upcoming AR Releases

Niantic, the developer behind Pokémon Go, and Rovio, the studio responsible for the wildly popular Angry Birds franchise, know how to push the boundaries in mobile game design. They understand what plays well within the industry’s mobile gaming segment that’s still on the rise.

And unsurprisingly, they recognize the value of creating games with AR features. By adopting this tech first and releasing high-quality augmented experiences, they tap an audience hungry for captivating ways to play. The companies capitalize on AR’s ability to create previously impossible types of entertainment.  The companies both recently debuted teaser trailers for AR games available soon on iOS and Android devices.

Making Magic Happen with AR

Niantic and Warner Bros. announced over a year ago they aligned to create an augmented reality production. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is set for a release sometime in 2019. It’s a location-based AR game that casts players into roles as witches and wizards. Their goal is to contain an event called the ‘Calamity’ and prevent Muggles from discovering the magic that has transferred between realms.

While no gameplay is previewed in the live-action trailer below, reports expect polished mechanics similar to those in Pokémon Go. The experience will blend our world with familiar, but digitized assets from the wizarding world of the Harry Potter franchise.

An Augmented Battle Between Birds & Pigs

From early 2019 on, the Angry Birds were fling-able in VR thanks to a game only made available on virtual reality headsets. But the upcoming release of Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs continues the duel between furious fowl and green swine in a brand-new fashion.

Users can play the augmented levels anywhere, as long as it ‘sits’ on a flat surface. Using Apple’s ARKit software, the game displays 3D models of forts ready for destruction. It’s a fresh feel for a series that’s mainly offered variations on a theme since 2009. While the gameplay doesn’t tread far into new territory, its AR capabilities gives a new perspective on a cast of characters loved by millions.

Turning Workplaces into Augmented Spaces

In a different vein from AR gaming, the market is embracing AR for its practical purposes too. Scope AR just closed a $9.7M in funding deal on its products that use AR to shape workflow in offices and warehouses.

With offerings like Remote AR (a telepresence application that redefines how experts can oversee remote operations) and WorkLink (a platform that enables creation and delivery of augmented, step-by-step instruction for complex procedures), Scope AR has set the pace for how augmented reality is going to incorporate into the future of how we do business, from manufacturing to delivery and beyond.

More Augmented Reality News

Looking for other major announcements from this week? Here are InnovatAR’s selections of must-reads:

• Apple could release AR glasses as early as 2020.
• Burger King encourages audience to ‘burn rival ads’ in new AR marketing campaign.
• Google invests $58M in ‘invisible computing’ platform from Mojo Vision.

The InnovatAR Difference

Companies continue to look to AR as a resource to engage loyal customers, reach new audiences, and build support for their products, services, and other initiatives. While many of the examples above feature app-based approaches to AR. InnovatAR sees the future of augmented reality heading in a different direction.

We believe the future of AR is web-based. And we are building that future right now. Web-based AR experiences are available today – and deliver easily accessible and interactive experiences to users with no downloads required. View our work in our Portfolio or Contact Us to see how AR fits into your business strategy.