This morning we reported that Niantic and WB were developing a new augmented reality game similar to Pokemon Go, set in the Harry Potter universe. The new game is called Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. Now, mere hours after the report, we finally have confirmation from Niantic and WB itself, who revealed that the game is being developed in part by Portkey Games, a newer game label dedicated to creating new Harry Potter inspired games for mobile.
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From the hot new press release: “Harry Potter: Wizards Unite will reveal that magic is all around us, and allow players to be a part of Harry Potter’s rich world, through Niantic’s AR + real-world mobile game platform and the franchise expertise of WB Games San Francisco’s development and publishing team. By exploring real-world neighborhoods and cities across the globe, players will go on adventures, learn and cast spells, discover mysterious artifacts, and encounter legendary beasts and iconic characters.”
There is currently no release date or launch window given, but there is an official website live that you can visit right here. The website is scant on information, but you will be able to sign up for updates about the game in the future. This is very likely where you will go to pre-register for the game as well.
“With this game, we are allowing the passionate, worldwide fan base to experience J.K. Rowling’s deeply powerful and imaginative universe in a new, truly immersive way,” said David Haddad, President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “It is wonderful to have Niantic’s remarkable augmented reality expertise as we develop this incredibly rich wizarding world for players to explore in their everyday lives.”
In a new blog post Niantic CEO John Hanke stated that Wizards Unite will build upon what the company has done with Ingress and Pokemon Go, and will “provide an opportunity to pioneer all new technology and gameplay mechanics.”
Personally, I can’t wait to see how we cast spells. I imagine some kind of wrist device like Pokemon Go Plus could be worn in order to track your movements as you wave a wand, or perhaps we’ll trace patterns or symbols on the screen to cast certain spells. We have many questions, and as soon as we get our hands on some footage or a trailer, we’ll share that with you straight away. Stay tuned!
