Niantic Punchdrunk PartnershipSource: Niantic

What you need to know

  • Recently, Niantic announced its plan to release two new apps a year for the next several years.
  • CATAN – World Explorers will be coming soon.
  • Niantic is also partnering with Punchdrunk on several projects.

Recently, Niantic announced its plan to release ten new apps over the next several years with approximately two apps coming per year. Some of these apps will feature original content, like Ingress, while others will be based around existing IP, such as the upcoming CATAN – World Explorers. Likewise, some of these apps will be games, but others will be AR experiences. When questioned about AR experiences that would not be strictly classified as games, CEO John Hanke wasn't exactly overflowing with details, but today, Niantic has expanded on just what that might entail.

Today, Niantic announced a new partnership with the pioneers of immersive theater and creators of Sleep No More, Punchdrunk. For those unfamiliar with Sleep No More, it is an immersive theater experience based around Shakespeare's Macbeth, in which the audience moves about at their own pace through an elaborately constructed set contained within several buildings. Compared to walking through the world of a video game, Sleep No More is a visceral experience and an incredibly unique form of storytelling.

Although today's announcement did not include details as to what specific projects Niantic and Punchdrunk will be collaborating on, Sleep No More has been praised with glowing reviews from critics and audience members alike. It was so successful in New York that a second location was opened in Shanghai with SMG Live, featuring a unique version of the story incorporating elements of Chinese folklore. Whatever Niantic and Punchdrunk are currently working on, it is bound to be an exciting and truly unique collection of AR experiences.