Niantic Is Creating an All-World NBA Game
Expected to launch during the next NBA season on iOS and Android.
Pokémon GO developer Niantic on Tuesday announced a partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) to develop an original augmented reality game titled NBA All-World.
The game, which places NBA fans into a real-world metaverse, is a free-to-play geolocational title that challenges players to find and compete against notable NBA players in their respective neighborhoods. Upon challenging top-tier players to games, fans can then recruit NBA icons to their own team before playing on the official court, where they will have the ability to outfit players in custom apparel.
“We’re enveloping the world around you into a basketball universe, or what I personally like to call turning the real world into a basketball theme park,” senior producer Marcus Matthews explained in a presentation via The Verge. “Now, places and objects in the real world will become video game items; the convenience store near you has become a location to pick up stamina for your NBA player, the sporting goods store around the corner is the place to pick up the latest brand name shoe to customize your players.”
“Through our partnership with Niantic, NBA All-World will provide fans across the globe the opportunity to fully immerse themselves into the energy and excitement of the NBA,” said Matt Holt, Head of Consumer Products at the NBA in a statement. “Evident in the name of the game itself, we look forward to engaging with our fans around the world through this captivating experience.”
NBA All World is expected to become available on both iOS and Android during the next NBA season. Watch the trailer above.
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