Gaming Developers Now Have Access to Google Maps to Create the Next “Pokémon Go”

In an attempt to create the next big thing in gaming, the people at Google are allowing gaming developers to integrate Google Maps into their mobile video games. Since the debut of “Pokémon Go,” location-based games have spiked in interest from video game studios in order to re-create the success that the Japanese pocket monsters have obtained with mobile gaming. In order to achieve this goal, Google announced March 14 that it will release its new gaming software to studios in order to allow them easier development on their future content.

The way the Google Maps platform will work is by being divided into three parts: developers who sign up with the platform will have access to real-time mapping data, Google will launch new software development kit for the video game engine Unity, and by Google introducing a new API, developers can create gameplay experiences around real-world locations.

“Our new Unity SDK does all of the heavy lifting. No Google Maps expertise needed,” said product manager Clementine Jacoby.

Countless video games, including the best bingo apps, are being developed and sold each year, so it is difficult for the consumer to make the proper choice that will grab their attention for hours on end and have them wanting to come back for more content from the same developers and companies. With the new API software, developers will be able to create unique experiences and locations formulated from actual places around the real-world.

“With Google Maps, we can count on providing the most up-to- date location data, meaning that when new buildings or roads are built, we’ll have them in our game. This enables us to create an immersive experience, tied to the players’ location,” said Next Google CEO Teemu Huuhtanen.

Future video games that will take advantage of the new mapping platform are the already announced “The Walking Dead: Our World,” “Jurassic World Alive,” and “Ghostbusters World.” “Pokémon Go” developers, Niantic, are currently working on their next location-based video game “Harry Potter: Wizards Unite” which is based off the popular books and films and will be available to play later this year.