The CEO of Niantic, John Hanke, stated that AR (augmented reality) has a future that will go beyond the visual. He also said that the games are the right place to experiment with AR. He explained this using a quote from Arthur C Clarke:

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

To achieve this, experiments are needed to be done, and games (Pokemon Go and Harry Potter AR) are perfect for promoting new technologies. What’s the reason behind this? According to Hanke, gamers are more “willing to put up with glitches and some imperfections in tech.”

With the AR Pokemon Go, it is indeed proven that there is plenty of space for special experiences in gaming. If the game has bugs and glitches, it is quite normal, and of course, they will be fixed as soon as possible, explained Hanke during the GamesBeat Summit in California.

Hanke said that he did not finish with experimenting with AR, saying that the potential for AR is bigger than the visuals. He revealed that together with his company are trying to enhance the social aspect of AR gameplay.

Niantic is currently developing a new game, called Harry Potter AR. They revealed that there will be incantations and wizarding duels in the game, which is the perfect way to merge voice controls and AR together.

John Hanke and science fiction author Eliot Peper chat (via VentureBeat).