NBA All-World Reignites AR Mobile With Niantic Collaboration

Pokémon Go creators, Niantic, have partnered with the National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Basketball Players Association (NBAPA), to create an augmented reality (AR) mobile game, NBA All-World.

Utilising geolocation, the game is set to place ‘ballers’ against one another in neighbourhoods, with opportunities to recruit them to a team before stepping on the virtual court against one another.

Additionally, the game will allow fans to the customise apparel of their players, while being free to play and available on Android and iOS devices.

Niantic senior producer, Marcus Matthews said the game was an industry first.

“NBA All-World represents an industry first in sports games, as an original, real-world AR game that will appeal to casual and core NBA fans alike,” Matthews said.

“We’re creating and designing a game that empowers players to represent where they’re from and showcase the culture of their neighbourhood,” he said.

Head of consumer products, NBA, Matt Holt said the partnership with Niantic will create an immersive experience for fans.

“Evident in the name of the game itself, we look forwards to engaging with our fans around the world through this captivating experience,” Holt said.

EVP of licensing for Think450, Josh Goodstadt, added: “Niantic has proven experience building games that encourage engagement in local communities, and having our players integrated into NBA All-World adds to that immersion.”

A release date for NBA All-World has not been announced, however, players can register at NBAAllWorld.com.