Niantic’s highly popular mobile app Pokémon GO is stepping up its augmented reality (AR) game by rolling out a new feature called Reality Blending.
Reality Blending essentially lets Pokémon interact more realistically with real-world objects by obscuring parts of them or even hiding them entirely behind parts of the environment. We’ve seen this tech in other AR programs, where it’s more commonly known as Occlusion.
Reality Blending will roll out on limited Android devices starting with the Samsung Galaxy S9, Samsung Galaxy S10, Google Pixel 3, and Google Pixel 4.
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As a part of refining its AR features, Niantic is also planning to launch the PokéStop Scan which will greatly help in creating a 3D map featuring the game’s PokéStops and Gyms.
With the PokéStop Scan, trainers will be able to record and upload a 30-second video of real life locations of the stops and gyms “from as many angles as possible” according to Niantic’s developer update. This feature will roll out in early June and will be first available to level 40 players.
“By bringing better interactions to AR and by making it possible for people to share the places that matter to them, we hope to create a special map of the world that inspires people to explore.”
Full details of these planned game changes can be read here.
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