Niantic, the company behind Pokémon Go, is releasing Campfire, a new social networking app. Over the coming months, Pokémon Go players will eventually be able to access it.
Future Niantic games and even augmented reality (AR) experiences might be integrated with Campfire. However, it will be a standalone phone app for now.
Features of Campfire
TechCrunch reported that the company today started the rollout of Campfire, a social app that will enable Niantic users to connect with their friends, join communities of like-minded mobile nomads, and plan significant events like Pokémon Go's raids. Up until this point, Pokémon fans have planned their get-togethers via messaging services like Discord. But Niantic has created a social platform that will work with all of its games after perhaps realizing a missed opportunity.
Campfire can only be used by players who are at least 13 years old. Although the app will integrate already-existing accounts from previous Niantic games, it will use Niantic user IDs, as per CNET.
The app functions as a launcher or browser for nearby events and offers joinable local community groups that are organized by game. When more linked apps that use Campfire start to appear, it's a way to join existing local events or perhaps start a new one.
The app displays events on a map using a conventional 2D layout and green "flares" that can be sent out to highlight important happenings. Anyone playing may see those flares, which create a type of heat map of nearby events. Despite being visible to everyone, the flares are anonymous and only persist for 10 minutes. Others may replicate the flares, giving a real-time impression of the location of potential big game happenings.
The Campfire app does not otherwise reveal player positions, though you can send a one-hour location-based ping to let someone know where you are.
Campfire aspires to be Niantic's social glue for all of its mobile games in addition to serving as a tool for Pokémon Go users and will eventually serve as a portal to its next AR-related activities.
Why Is the Social Networking App Created
According to The Verge, for your in-game buddies, the app has a group and private messaging feature. In Pokémon Go, for example, you can DM a friend the location of a raid to make it simpler for you to meet up.
Despite the abundance of messaging apps already available, the idea of a social network specifically for Niantic makes some sense considering the number of games the company is developing. In addition to Pikmin Bloom and Ingress, Niantic also has the virtual pet simulator Peridot and the recently revealed basketball game NBA All World in development.
However, the company recently canceled a number of projects, including the previously announced Transformers: Heavy Metal, and also laid off more than 80 employees. This follows the cancellation of high-profile games like Catan: World Explorers and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite following less-than-stellar launches.
According to the company, users in the U.S. will soon be able to use Campfire, while worldwide access to Pokémon Go will be available all summer long. There are currently no set launch dates, but the company promises to post future updates on its social media platforms.
Related Article: Pokémon Go Updates: Seattle Event Tickets & Dates For Next Community Days
