An example of Ingress in action
Google is looking to delve into reality TV with the help of its augmented reality (AR) game Ingress, which uses smartglasses to turn real life into a giant video game, and puts it on the small screen.
Ingress was released back in 2013 with the help of Google’s own gaming studio Niantic Labs with the intention of making Google Glass an AR gaming device that would see players put into teams and traverse a city in the hunt for virtual clues.
Now however, according to The Verge, Niantic Labs want to take this experience and replicate it to TV having teamed up with a production company who have developed programmes for the SyFy channel as well as getting Niantic’s creative lead Flint Dille on board to develop a screenplay.
So far, those privy to the details believe Google are soon to approach both traditional TV networks as well as online content providers, specifically Netflix.
After all, it won’t be the first online content the team have developed given that Ingress already has an official YouTube channel where guides and storylines have already been created to cater to players of the game so a TV series is most likely going to be based on the same concept, just with incentives and, no doubt, added drama.
Meanwhile, Niantic are also looking at other media with the development of Endgame, a gamed based off the trilogy of books written by author James Frey that ties in elements of the plot into an AR game that is due to launch later this year.
Ingress game image via Ryan Ozawa/Flickr
