A short while or so ago, my social media feeds were plagued with videos of people unboxing and testing out the recently released Apple Vision Pros. Apple markets Apple Vision Pro as a “spatial computer” where digital media is integrated with the real world. Which is a mashup between AR and VR tech. There were all manners of dystopian-esque videos of people walking around towns whilst working away in their headset.
We know that Niantic, the Developers of Pokémon GO, are dedicated to creating cutting-edge AR (augmented reality) games which allow digital content to be tethered to the physical world. In fact, they’ve recently launched an offshoot of their Peridot title, called “Hello, Dot”, for the Meta Quest 3 headset! In Pokémon GO we have AR catching features and ways to interact with Pokémon that weren’t even fathomable in the main game series. At the moment we are going through some AR changes in GO, with a newly revamped AR mode. This all got me thinking, if VR headsets becomes the future of mobile technology – would we see Pokémon GO shift from AR to VR? What would this look like?
Hold up… what’s the difference between AR and VR?
Almost any person with a smartphone can get access to augmented reality, making it more efficient than VR as a branding and gaming tool. AR morphs the mundane, physical world into a colourful, visual one by projecting virtual pictures and characters through a phone’s camera or video viewer. Augmented reality is merely adding to the user’s real-life experience.
Virtual reality takes these same components to another level by producing an entirely computer-generated simulation of an alternate world. These immersive simulations can create almost any visual or place imaginable for the player using special equipment such as computers, sensors, headsets, and gloves.
- AR uses a real-world setting while VR is completely virtual
- AR users can control their presence in the real world; VR users are controlled by the system
- VR requires a headset device, but AR can be accessed with a smartphone
- AR enhances both the virtual and real world while VR only enhances a fictional reality
Just to make it more confusing, headsets such as the Apple Vision Pro use a blend of AR and VR technology and is often referred to as ‘spacial computing’ – which seems like a whole different kettle of fish.
What could Pokémon GO look like in spatial computing?
Let’s be real, the possibilities are endless. Wild spawns would be completely revolutionised with Pikachu on your sofa, Alcremie in your kitchen, Machamp in the gym, etc.
Local trades or trainer battles could happen in front of your eyes, with the Pokémon seemingly battling in the physical environment.
A reddit user created a first-person capture Pokémon in VR, which could be similar to potential VR gameplay (and looks incredible). However, it’s pretty scary, so Pokémon GO would probably stay close to their current ‘cartoony’ art style.
Is Pokémon GO likely to shift towards spatial computing?
Niantic have been working on developing their own outdoor AR headset, with a similar look and function to what we have discussed already and have a vision of mapping the real-world metaverse. They allude in this article to Pokémon GO and say that you could ‘see a gym with a life-sized Gyrados’. Whether this is intended through AR technology on your phone or through a AR headset, it is unclear.
There’s the news that Niantic’s Lightship Visual Positioning System (VPS), its software platform that forms the basis of its worldwide augmented reality titles like Pokémon GO, will be integrating with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Spaces VR and AR developer platform. Lightship VPS is what allows virtual items in Niantic’s games to be placed by one player, and remain persistent for another player to encounter. Although it’s currently only available on mobile phones, integrating with Snapdragon Spaces will allow Lightship VPS to run on headsets, Niantic’s Maryam Sabour confirmed onstage.
We are still at the very beginning of mobile AR/VR headset technology and it will take a long time for them to be developed into a product people will buy, and actually use. Beyond that, creating a game with decent graphics and functionality within these headsets is a huge ask at this stage.
Personally, if mobile headsets do affordably hit the consumer market, I think it would take a while for them to fully integrate into society. Hopefully, sleeker AR glasses could help recapture some of that magic if these designs actually make it into consumer-focused devices.
That’s not to mention the potential safety implications of walking around playing games on a mobile headset. However, I do think it would be very cool to be able to see Pokémon and interact with them in a VR environment.
I do not believe that Pokémon GO in its current form will move towards VR in the next 10 years at least, however that doesn’t rule out the Pokémon franchise as a whole – there is potential for a static VR headset game in the future!
