Niantic's Real-World Metaverse Vision & Lightship ARDK Release

Niantic Launches Lightship ARDK for Accessible AR Development

Niantic, the AR technology firm renowned for Pokémon GO, has announced the release of Lightship, an Augmented Reality Developer Kit (ARDK). This launch aims to democratize the creation of augmented reality experiences.

The technology is being made freely available and openly accessible. This move is central to Niantic’s strategy for establishing the groundwork for what they envision as a “real-world metaverse.”

A Different Vision of the Metaverse

During the launch livestream, Niantic CEO John Hanke referenced a previous blog post where he described the metaverse as a potentially “dystopian nightmare.”

While other companies, such as Meta (formerly Facebook), are focusing on VR-dominated virtual worlds, Niantic proposes an alternative. Their vision centers on a metaverse that encourages in-person interaction and strengthens real-world connections.

Real-World Interaction is Key

Niantic’s current gaming portfolio prioritizes outdoor activities and social engagement. Prior to pandemic-related adaptations, features within Pokémon GO, like legendary raid battles, required simultaneous participation from multiple players in the same physical location.

The release of these battles in 2017 spurred the formation of local Discord communities. These groups facilitated the coordination of real-world meetups, allowing players to collaborate in catching Pokémon like Lugia and Articuno.

“At Niantic, we believe humans are happiest when their virtual world leads them to a physical one,” stated Hanke. “A real-world metaverse will leverage technology to enhance our experience of the world as we have known it for millennia, unlike a science fiction-based metaverse.”

Investment and Partnerships

The release of the Lightship ARDK empowers developers to build upon the foundations established by games like Ingress, Pokémon GO, and Pikmin Bloom.

Furthermore, Niantic is introducing a $20 million Niantic Ventures fund. This fund will be dedicated to investing in companies that share Niantic’s core vision.

At its launch, Niantic has already established partnerships with prominent brands including Coachella, Historic Royal Palaces, Universal Pictures, and the PGA of America, all of whom have utilized the ARDK.

Technical Capabilities

The software development kit facilitates the creation of experiences for both iOS and Android platforms. It integrates seamlessly with Unity, a widely used software for developing 3D, 2D, VR, and AR applications.

It provides access to Niantic’s core AR features: real-time mapping, semantic segmentation, and multiplayer capability. These tools, refined over years of development, are now available to a broader range of creators.

“You just need a little bit of Unity experience, and it is actually easy to pick up,” explained Amanda Whitt, a product manager at Niantic, during a recent Q&A session.

The Lightship ARDK is currently available to all interested developers via the Niantic Lightship website.