New Zealand-based augmented reality studio will help the company to design multiplayer "real-world" AR experiences.
Pokemon Go maker Niantic announced it has acquired New Zealand-based augmented reality studio NZXR. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. According to Niantic's blog post, NZXR is going to be "an integral part of the design and development of multiplayer real-world AR experiences unique to Niantic".
Founded in 2020 by a group of developers who were previously a part of the Wellington-based Magic Leap team, NZXR has made a number of "AR-first" experiences for various companies including augmented reality apps and prototypes for mobile and other devices. It also worked on such projects as the AR skateboarding game Skatrix and the interactive theater experience Destination Mars.
Prior to the acquisition, NZXR had already collaborated with Niantic working on several projects. With the help of the purchase, Niantic plans to bring to life its plans to build a "real-world metaverse" that is centered around AR rather than VR.
"We’re excited to welcome NZXR to Niantic and continue building the future of AR and the real-world metaverse together," said Niantic's VP of Visual and Interaction Design Dennis Hwang.
NZXR's team shared in a separate blog post: "We've found our counterparts at Niantic to be welcoming and excited to collaborate, open to feedback and quick to share knowledge. When Niantic approached us about a permanent partnership it felt like a natural fit."
The news of NZXR's acquisition comes just a month after Niantic announced its purchase of 8th Wall. Prior to that, it also acquired three other companies including Scaniverse, Hoss, and Lowkey.
You can learn more about the acquisition of NZXR in Niantic's blog post here. Also, don't forget to join our new Reddit page, our new Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, where we are sharing breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.