Source: Niantic Labs
Pokémon GO took the world by surprise as it was an instant hit when it was released. People had to get the app on their phone as soon as it was released and much of the hype came from the way its the implementation of AR. Pokémon GO can even be regarded as the game that made AR mainstream and there are no many games being developed to use AR in their gameplay.
But let’s not forget the company that made it all possible – Niantic. The company, famous for its location-based game development has made a recent announcement that involves 1 million dollars!
Niantic unveiled the Beyond Reality Developer Contest, where developers can make use of the Real World platform to make AR games and the best of the lot will win the grand prize of 1 million US dollars.
For developers, this is a great chance to show off their skills and win a ton of money in the process. When we look at the platform itself, it is very developer and device friendly. It can help developers create augmented reality experiences and that too with multiplatform support. The environmental understanding capability of the platform helps the software to determine objects and their relative positioning. It uses machine learning to further sharpen up the skills. This enables the game to create AR graphics that can easily move around real-world objects without causing any discrepancy in perspective or size.
“We’re seeking applicants that are excited about creating projects that follow core tenets of Niantic: exploration, exercise, and real-world social interaction. We invite you to adventure along with us, and create something that the world has never seen before.” Stated Phil Keslin, co-founder and chief technology officer of Niantic
The rules state that each team should consist of at least 5 members and they must have experience in JAVA or Unity to make use of Niantic’s platform.
Firstly, the team should propose their idea for the game to Niantic. You can submit your ideas at their contest site. The idea must bridge some real-world physical activities and gaming together. The physical activities can include traveling, shopping, or anything that is socially centered.
The last date for the submission of the final projects is Feb 17, 2019. The 10 finalists will be announced on March 10 and the kickoff event will be held on May 1. For the next three months, they will get a stipend from Niantic to support themselves for the next three months as the finalists must develop their games in that time frame to present the same on August 23, 2019. The winner will be announced on September 6th.
Have an idea that you think will click with the audience and Niantic? Apply today and you might be looking a cheque of 1 millions dollors.
