I was 10 when I came across my first Harry Potter book. It was mesmerizing. I was nearly the same age as the protagonists and constantly imagined myself living a the world full of magic. Every year that followed, I would get the next book or film as they were released, and I can remember watching the final Harry Potter movie at the cinema in my last year at school. It was like the end of an era.
If you are like me, you definitely remember a few spells and always wanted to have your own wand and practice them. And guess what? Now we can! Augmented reality technology can easily turn your smartphone into a wand and you into a powerful sorcerer ready to defend your magical world! Wizards Unite!
What you should know about Harry Potter AR Game
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite was released by Niantic in June 2019. This is the third AR best-seller of the company, and you’ll definitely remember the two previous games: Ingress – the first immersive location-based game, and Pokemon GO, the bestseller that has already generated over $2 billion in revenue.
Augmented reality games are trending now, and they have a concept behind completely different from most mobile games.
How many games do you have on your smartphone? It’s maybe one or two time killers you open during your daily ride to work or when waiting in line. Pokemon GO or Harry Potter AR games work completely different. You can’t play them for just a few minutes and then get back to work. AR games force you to move around your city, search for items, and interact with other players. These games literally become part of your everyday life.
Reasons for the success of augmented reality games
The new Harry Potter AR game has reached 400,000 downloads in the first 24 hours in the US and UK alone. What forces people to fanatically download a mobile game? There are a few reasons for that:
- The subject matter
You can hardly find a person around the age of 20+ that is not a Harry Potter fan. Niantic’s targeting of this paying audience is perfect here. Immersion into the universe of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts – for years this has been a dream for many of us. And now it’s reality. Well, augmented reality, but still. - Geolocation
The fact that epic battles between wizards can take place right on the street where I live is fascinating. The school I went to, the cafe where I get my morning cappuccino, the park where I walk my dog – my whole hometown is a playground. - The need to walk
Of course, many of us would prefer to play our favorite game sitting in a comfy chair. But how long would the interest in such a game last? Not much, I suppose. On the contrary, an AR app that takes you out of the house is a much more engaging experience. Think of it as your own way to exercise and get to know your hometown better. Or to find some hidden gems when on a trip.
Is augmented reality the new black?
A lot of companies have tried to replicate the success of Pokemon GO, but none of them succeeded. Well, I’ve never heard of an AR game that was at least half as popular as the original.
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite hasn’t succeeded either. It’s still too far from its older brother, and it is not going to reach that #1 spot. But Niantic has unlocked another achievement: it’s got the whole world talking about their new augmented reality game. They have proven who sets the rules in this industry.
Modern technologies keep developing, and we can now confidently say that AR is here to stay. It is widely used in corporate software, productivity and travel apps, games, and much more.
You can mock or fear this trend. Or you can accept it and try to become the game changer in your industry.
Do you have any ideas for an app powered with augmented reality but lack the technical expertise to implement it? We are here to fill that gap. Our experience with AR helps us build innovative products that mesmerize the world.
