The makers of Pokemon Go are teaming up with the NBA for their next augmented reality mobile game. Niantic has announced NBA All-World, a brand new augmented reality mobile game in which players collect NBA players and have them battle in one-on-one street hoops contests. NBA All-World players will be able to customize their NBA stars with items like sneakers and train them so that they grow stronger for future hoops contests. You can check out a trailer of NBA All-World down below:
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According to Polygon, which attended a press event for NBA All-World earlier this week, the new game is the result of years of planning, as the NBA and Niantic have been in talks for five years on a project. Niantic hired sports game veteran Marcus Matthews to serve as the game’s senior producer and give it an authentic feel.
For those familiar with Pokemon Go, certain aspects of NBA All-World should feel familiar. Players can go to actual neighborhood basketball courts and other community locations, such as sporting good stores, to collect items and prepare their virtual players for the next basketball game. Instead of battling at Pokemon Go gyms, players will compete in various mini-games such as a three-point contest or a one-on-one contest to determine who is the “King of the Mountain” at a specific gym. The game also incorporates local history – actual landmarks that correspond to sites important to NBA players will be marked on the map, to provide some historical context for the game. Additionally, the NBA superstars will not only look like their real-life counterparts, but have behaviors similar to their real-world counterparts. For instance, James Harden will have his signature step back jumper.
NBA All-World will launch during the 2022-2023 NBA season. Potential players can sign up at the game’s website for more details and updates.
