Pokemon GO developer Niantic rumoured to be working on new game "Campfire"

Mobile gaming titan Niantic, the legendary developers behind Pokemon GO and Pikmin Bloom, are more than likely working on a brand new alternate reality title called Campfire. While nothing is for sure just yet, judging by a recent trademark filed, we may be seeing another massive AR game enter the market.

We all know Niantic. With a game as massive as Pokemon GO, its second foray into the genre, it’s impossible not to know them by purely name alone. However, with Pokemon GO and Pikmin Bloom, the company hasn't tried its hand at an original IP in nearly a decade, the last one having been Ingress. Given their pedigree, it is safe to assume this potential new game is going to be in the same vein though, not a wild departure from what they’re experts at.

The trademark filing was for “Campfire”, leading speculators to believe this is the title of Niantic's next effort. With a name like that, further speculation has gone on to assume that there will be actual campfires placed around the world for you to interact with, in the same vein as Pokemon GO gyms or Ingress data points. To further cement this potential new idea, Niantic was recently spotted hiring experts of AR games and geo-location, hinting that this title will be exactly that. While gameplay details are all but hearsay right now, expect to hear official news within the year.

If you aren’t aware, Pokemon GO, Ingress, and Pikmin Bloom are all AR games or alternate reality games. These titles typically include using the player’s location in the real world as a setting and placing various encounters around them, usually within walking distance. These games have been a massive success, with even the popular video game series The Witcher receiving one. With the world in and out of a global pandemic that has gone back and forth on forcing us to be trapped in our own homes, these titles have been a much welcome reason to get out and move around.

If you’re looking for a reason to get out of the house and explore your neighbourhood, you could look into the ever so popular and not stopping anytime soon Pokemon GO, or alternatively, check out Niantic’s Pikmin AR game. Both can be found on either Google Play or the App Store for free. In terms of the speculated rumour, you can keep track of Niantic's news on its official Twitter handle.