Innovations of Fun: The New Era of Location-Based Gaming
Nowadays, phone games have become a mundane phenomenon, for people, driven by the insatiable need to relax and sneak into a fictional world, are generally blasé about homotypic games and limited functionality. Nevertheless, modern technologies, however unusual or complicated they may be, get involved and inevitably affect any sphere of our lives, and gaming is no exception.
So as to surprise and captivate a wider range of audience, the gaming industry successfully implements number tracker apps, GPS monitoring systems, VR features, and more to let their users immerse and feel the game from the inside. But how does it work, and why do location-based apps delight?
What Are the Games that Rely on Location Tracking?
In essence, location-based games rely on the player's actual location as a key element of gameplay for integrating the real world with the gaming experience as fully as possible. These produce an immersive entertaining experience that goes beyond the screen but still remains limited to the existing technologies such as AR, GPS, and others. Those unaware of the general rules of location tracking may wonder how these games may operate and what are their common peculiarities.
As such, such games track and analyze the player's exact location in real time thanks to GPS technologies and other external tools, e.g., phone cameras, microphones, etc. Sometimes, these are characters, virtual objects, or points of interest that are positioned thoughtfully in relation to particular real-world sites for players to engage with the virtual components and explore the inner world with pleasure and great involvement.
AR, which plays a crucial role in the realm of location-based games, may project virtual content onto the physical world as captured by a smartphone camera. This can include virtual people, things, or educational displays that seem to be a part of the player's real world. By the way, the majority of today's educators develop location-based games so as to teach and train their students and show what cannot be displayed in the classroom.
How Location Tracking May Enhance Gameplay
Though such games themselves present new experiences and unforgettable emotions, they may offer practical benefits, too. Games, especially those powered by location-tracking technologies, invite users to travel through their environments, find new locations, and interact with their neighborhoods both digitally and physically. This surely adds a sense of adventure as users have to journey to certain places to complete in-game objectives and excel.
Besides, some games produce content based on the player's location, taking into consideration regional information, such as weather conditions or notable sites as well. Hence, it is to promote face-to-face meetings and teamwork among participants, strengthen relationships, and facilitate general involvement in the end. Quite a fine thing to do with a modern society, which is no longer used to offline communication.
Popular Location-Based Games in 2024
In 2024, the gaming industry may boast an extremely great number of location-based games to choose from. Even the pickiest gamers are free to find what can suit their preferences and needs and join a vast community of enthusiasts from all over the world. Thank you, globalization.
Pokémon GO
One of the biggest names in location-based gaming is still Pokémon GO. Surprisingly enough, the popularity of the game does not decline due to regular updates that include community days, seasonal events, and new creatures known as Pokémons. The original use of augmented reality, or AR (that has driven the world crazy one day) and real-world exploration keeps attracting millions of players worldwide. A unique experience that captivates and overwhelms.
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
Harry Potter is a figure that never gets old, and games like Harry Potter: Wizards Unite are still a beloved creation among those who love the wizarding world after all this time. Always. With the use of their smartphones, players can locate enchanted objects and creatures, take part in challenges, and use augmented reality to explore the spaces around.
The Walking Dead: Our World
The Walking Dead's chaos is what most fans may seek in their reality, and this, fortunately, might be brought to the gamers' communities via this game only. Players collaborate with TV show characters to accomplish goals and repel zombies together as if they lived in a world full of threats and dangers.
Minecraft Earth
Featuring its unique virtual reality experience, Minecraft Earth successfully brings the popular block-building game into the real world for young players to work together on large-scale projects, gather resources, and construct buildings, too. The game is a favorite among fans of Minecraft who are sated with traditional gameplay and wish to experience something new.
Dragon Quest Walk
Location-based gameplay of the Dragon Quest Walk is a classic system combined with the typical RPG aspects of the DQ series, popular in Japan, and the latest technologies. As they explore their real-world surroundings, players participate in various quests, fight monsters, and find treasures hidden around them. A great example of how traditional gameplay may be adapted to a new reality with digital opportunities all over.
The Near Future of Location-Based Gaming
The future of location-based gaming is generally determined by wearable devices, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence which cannot but alter our lives for good. Innovations in these spheres will definitely change location-based gaming in the future (as they have been doing for years). With the help of these advancements, gamers may interact with virtual elements that are smoothly incorporated into their real surroundings, thus receiving more interactive experiences.
These days, though still limited but open to upcoming development, the genre's accessibility and appeal can be increased by cross-platform gamification of everyday tasks, transformed into interactive adventures to get more immersive, personalized, and socially engaging as these technologies prosper and excel.
