"Pokémon Go" game developer Niantic recently announced a new game, its first foray into the sports field . This new game is called NBA All World. It is also a location-based game and also has AR augmented reality elements. The game's developers describe it as "a metaverse where NBA lifestyle meets the real world."
NBA All World looks a lot like Niantic's other releases, filling the map around you with various points of interest. The difference here is that they are all basketball-themed rather than Pokémon Go-related. "We're turning the world around you into a basketball world, or as I like to call it, turning the real world into a basketball theme park," said Marcus Matthews, senior publicity lead for the game at
. "Now, in the real world "Places and objects will become video game items; your neighborhood convenience store has become the place where your NBA players replenish their energy, and the sporting goods store around the corner is where you pick up the latest brand of sneakers to customize your players."
There are several elements to the overall experience. There's swipe-based one-on-one basketball where you play against other players on a basketball court on a map, kind of like heading to a gym in Pokémon Go. This includes a leaderboard so you can become the best at a specific position. You can also collect real-world NBA players by meeting and defeating them on the map - which sounds a bit like the Ultimate Team feature in FIFA - and customize them with gear and in-game boosts. Niantic also said the game will include some location-based storytelling elements tied to the NBA stars' hometowns.
is similar to other games from this game developer in that one of the goals of the game is to get players active outside. "Location matters," Matthews said. "So what you can't do is sit at home and play remotely with your friends in another city." All World will be available on both iOS and Android, with Niantic saying it expects a full launch during the next NBA season.
