Google Maps APIs Just Changed Gaming Forever
Google Maps APIs Gaming was just announced for game developers around the world. With these keys to Google Maps, developers have access to the most vital component of the most successful mobile game in history: Pokemon GO. Before now, the only games that really, truly took hold of an entire planet of GPS-mapped coordinates were Niantic's own. Now, Google's opened their doors to the future of mobile gaming.
Before now, creating a full mapped-Earth GPS-based game was technically possible, but it wasn't easy. It wasn't easy if you wanted to do it right, that is to say. But with Google Maps APIs releasing the keys to their treasure chest of goodies, there's a whole lot of potential going on.
Three games that've joined in on the fun right out the gate – or before the gate even opened, really, are Jurassic World Alive, Ghostbusters World, and The Walking Dead: Our World. This explains SOME of the questions we had about how Jurassic World Alive's introductory graphics made it seem so extremely similar to Pokemon GO. This explains some of the graphics on the ground, at least. The whole UI question is a situation unto itself.
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite will work with Niantic's Ingress Engine – separate from that of Google Maps APIs initiative revealed this week. The first games that'll be released with full access to Google Maps via Google Maps API are those listed above. Below you'll see previews for these three major-label games.
Above you'll see The Walking Dead: Our World. Like the other games, at this time we have only a teaser for the final release of the game. Jurassic World: Alive has the most obvious replication of Pokemon GO gameplay of the bunch. Because of that, it looks like the most solid game so far – rip-off or not.
The Ghostbusters World footage you'll see here is what's labeled as "Pre-Alpha" – and it might well look one whole heck of a lot different by the time it's really, truly released.
Developers interested in joining this party can do so through Google Developers Maps/Gaming homepage. It's brand new, as of the posting of this article on March 14th, 2018. Let us know what you're making!