John Hanke, the Founder and CEO of Niantic, has published his detailed thoughts on the metaverse. The Niantic boss is seemingly far from excited about the concept, with fears that a virtual universe may evolve to become a "dystopian nightmare" and one that humanity should look to work to avoid.
In a lengthy blog post published on Niantic's website, Hanke describes his fears around a proposed metaverse, arguing that fictional depictions of such a concept serve to act as a warning for society. He says, "A lot of people these days seem very interested in bringing this near-future vision of a virtual world to life, including some of the biggest names in technology and gaming. But in fact these novels served as warnings about a dystopian future of technology gone wrong."
It's not that Hanke is against supplementing the real world with technology – I mean, he's the founder of a software company that creates augmented reality games. The CEO instead says that "we can use technology to lean into the ‘reality' of augmented reality — encouraging everyone, ourselves included, to stand up, walk outside, and connect with people and the world around us." In Hanke's view, technology isn't something that should be used to replace core human experiences by launching people into a virtual mega-sphere of total escapism. Moreover, it should be used to better human experiences by using technology to supplement their experiences in the 'real' world.
Hanke's interest in designing games that drive more real-world interactions through the use of technology can be seen in Niantic's release catalogue. Games like Pokémon Go and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite use AR technology that connects the virtual to the physical in order to promote active play. In this vein, Hanke says that Niantic questions how technology can make people better. "Could it nudge us get us off the couch and out for an evening stroll or a Saturday in the park? Could it draw us into public space and into contact with neighbors we might never have met? Could it give us a reason to call a friend, make plans with our families, or even discover brand new friends? Collectively, could it help us discover the magic, history, and beauty hiding in plain sight?" he asks.
In the post, Hanke describes his future hopes for achieving more real-world interactions within what he calls the 'real world metaverse'. The CEO explains that "Building the real world metaverse lies at the intersection of two major technical undertakings: synchronizing the state of hundreds of millions of users around the world (along with the virtual objects they interact with), and tying those users and objects precisely to the physical world."
In order to develop its augmented worlds further, Hanke says that Niantic is pursuing avenues within its Lightship platform (the technology that underpins Pokemon Go) that would support a "shared state" experience of the world. In this shared state, interactions with digital objects in the physical world would be consistent for everyone. If one person were to change something in the digital world, it would be reflected in what the millions of other participants using the AR system also see. Hanke says that tying digital interactions to the physical world like this is a task similar to creating Google Maps but for computers.
Niantic's long-term goal in the field is to develop games that promote a "shared state" experience that can be discovered and explored through other AR technologies such as smart glasses. To make sense of this, Hanke says, "We imagine a future of worlds that can be overlaid on the real world. For now, we’re calling these ‘reality channels’ to give the idea a name. Think of Pokémon GO, upgraded for smart glasses where the Pokémon wander through your local park, seeming to actually inhabit the world. In this future version, Pokémon appear to you as if they are really there, scurrying around passing pedestrians, hiding behind a park bench, or roaming in herds through your favorite park."
Hanke continues to explore the idea further, explaining how digital creations in the real world could affect infrastructure and other in-game users. "Buildings might take on the pastel hues of the Pokémon universe; a 10-story Pokémon GO Gym might rise above your local shopping center. If you encounter another player on the street, they might even appear transformed into the guise of their in-game persona." he says.
Niantic has partnered with Qualcomm to invest in "a reference design for outdoor-capable AR glasses" that would sync up with Niantic's maps to create a medium through which users could experience these overlaid worlds. Despite first versions of the hardware existing for "internal R&D", Hanke says that the company's work in the field is just beginning and expects it to continue for a number of years. Looks like we won't be seeing our favourite Pokémon soaring over any busy city streets just yet then.
In other Niantic news, why not check out this article detailing how the company recently issued a response to fans over complaints surrounding its decision to reduce the in-game extended range feature for Pokéstop interactions in Pokémon Go.
Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. He adores the idea of chasing his favorite Pokémon around the local park. You can follow him on Twitter.