Is Pokémon Go Becoming Pokémon World?

Pokémon Go developers Niantic have launched their New Lightship Visual Positioning System. It aims to map out the world in 3D, allowing any AR-compatible device to have the same frame of reference so they can link with other devices and accurately occupy the same space citywide. Niantic have started with some of the largest metropolitan areas on the planet; Tokyo and New York being among the first cities mapped out by their denizens using the new system.

What makes this idea so profound is that mapping out the world in 3D is a large task, but when you add multiple interconnecting devices in the same space the task becomes much larger. not only does an individual device have to orientate itself to its local environment when multiple devices interact, they must also orientate themselves to each other in real time to keep positional accuracy. The end goal is to create an environment in which massive multiplayer games and content can stay persistent and ever evolving.

The traditional way of doing this would be to use GPS to map out and track the positions of users in real time to provide a semi-accurate layout of the environment; this is way too inaccurate when it comes to AR technology, due to the sensory data people perceive, as well as the accuracy of a game when playing against others. Niantic have opted to take a harder route in which they use user devices to create the map and share data with each other to persistently update their currant whereabouts.

Initially the company have stated they will only be able to do such accurate tracking in designated cities which have high levels of interaction with their other applications such as Tokyo or Seattle. This is only with the initial roll-out of the system, they have plans to scale up into other cities as well as smaller towns but the speed of the scale-up will be determined by the level of user interaction and support. The end goal is worldwide, but the immediate future is small-scale yet effective.

While other companies like Meta and Microsoft have similar long-term, goals Niantic have one significant advantage; they have apps such as Pokémon GO that have already collected vast amounts of data to give them a head start. They also have a dedicated userbase willing to go out of their way to aid them in creating this 3D map, it will enhance their experience within the games they enjoy. These users will make or break this venture as the Niantic’s main data source is crowd sourced.