Niantic Labs, a smartphone app team that is part of Google, has released a new mobile game called Ingress that aims to move virtual gaming into the real world. Ingress, available for download on Android, utilizes a type of augmented reality where users must perform real-world tasks in order to score achievements in its virtual world. For instance, the game involves containing a virus, and to control an outbreak in a certain area in the game, the player must go to the real-world location.
This isn't the first mobile game to be built on augmented reality (see here and here for examples), but having Google's name attached to it brings even more attention to the trend of developers seeking to combine virtual worlds with the real one. Developers have been attempting variations of this theme since the beginning of the iOS app store: apps like Foursquare involve virtual accomplishments (check-ins) for real-world rewards (discounts); whereas many games like Ingress work the opposite way, requiring real-world accomplishments for virtual rewards.
Either way, the user's physical location is integral to the process, creating a new groundbreaking new channel for marketers. The applications provide unprecedented data on their users location as well as their intent at that specific location. If they're checking into a restaurant on Foursquare, perhaps they'd take a 20% off discount on drinks at a bar down the road. If they're containing a virtual virus outbreak in Times Square, maybe they'd want to see a disaster movie playing in 30 minutes across the street. Local businesses can leverage this data to acquire customers more efficiently than ever before, especially as companies like Google continue to innovate in this field (see Google Glass)
Full article: http://mashable.com/2012/11/15/google-ingress/
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