In Pokemon GO, players step into the role of a Pokemon trainer in an augmented reality game that uses the player’s physical surroundings. Graphics are drawn on the mobile device over the landscape shown through the camera’s lens. Part of the charm of the game is that it requires physical movement. A day at the park could be spent on Pokemon GO searching for berries, coming across encounters, and finding new Pokemon. Now Niantic is using the same premise for its upcoming Marvel title.
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Marvel is a treasure trove of content and Disney is a master of licensing. The latest Marvel licensee, Niantic, is the world’s foremost developer of augmented reality games and has just announced Marvel World of Heroes. At this point, Niantic didn’t reveal any gameplay footage, but the teaser shows that Marvel World of Heroes delivers a similar experience to the developer’s previous AR titles. This means that players are going to become superheroes via the viewfinder of the camera. In the game, players create their own Super Hero identities and origin stories.
In Marvel World of Heroes players fight virtual crime in their real-world neighborhoods and complete Super Hero missions. In addition, they will be joined by popular Marvel characters including Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Captain America. Leveling up will allow players to unlock new gear and upgrades. According to the trailer, these include other Marvel characters’ abilities and equipment, e.g. optic blast from Cyclops and the hammer of Thor.
After the immense success of Pokemon GO, Niantic produced various similar experiences. Unfortunately, the developer hasn’t reached the popularity of Pokemon GO with subsequent titles. Perhaps the most popular of these post-Pokemon GO games was the game based on J. K. Rowling’s popular Harry Potter franchise. However, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite was discontinued earlier this year after roughly 30 months of service.
Reportedly, Niantic has had to cancel multiple projects and lay off staff. This included Transformers: Heavy Metal, which was developed in partnership with Hasbro. The company is seeking a replacement for its massive crowd of AR gamers, and perhaps the humongous fanbase of the Marvel Universe is the key to another success. This should provide Niantic with an immensely powerful suite of content to offer through its unique AR experience.
Marvel World of Heroes is scheduled to launch globally in 2023.
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