Pokémon trainers have always wanted to walk like Ash and Pikachu side by side with their own Pokémon. And in Pokémon Go, players could get a lot closer to that scenario after Niantic added the buddy system to the mobile game. But it’s not the same thing.
Now, the company is improving this feature by working on augmented reality within the game. Niantic is releasing a reality blending feature and allowing players to work together with devs to make a 3D map of the world.
Reality blending will be noticed in snapshots. Your Pokémon buddy will appear more realistically in the world around you through the camera using the latest AR functionality on devices like the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S10.
Pokémon will be able to move behind objects, either partially or completely. Trainers will be able to see Pokémon peek from behind a bookcase or jump out from behind the couch, for example.
The reality blending feature will be first tested with a small number of random trainers with certain Android devices due to the required technology, starting with the Samsung Galaxy S9, Samsung Galaxy S10, Google Pixel 3, and Google Pixel 4.
To help Niantic achieve the AR development advance, the company is bringing an opt-in feature to the Pokémon Go community called PokéStop Scan. It’ll be first available to level 40 trainers in early June before rolling out to more players by level.
Niantic’s devs are working on a dynamic 3D map of existing PokéStops and gyms. This feature will let trainers help by uploading videos of real-life PokéStop and Gym locations from as many angles as possible, up to a maximum of 10 seconds per video.
This should give the devs a better understanding of how virtual objects persist and where they are in relation to one another. In addition, the 3D objects allow mobile devices to further understand what they’re looking at to augment reality in real-time.
If you’re worried about privacy when collecting the videos, Niantic doesn’t collect or store any personal data in connection with this information and it isn’t tied to specific player accounts.
When it comes to Pokémon Go, always be aware of your surroundings and follow guidelines from local health authorities. With the coronavirus pandemic limiting players from playing the game outside, the PokéStop scan feature might be a little dangerous right now.
