- Geolocation games present a simple yet satisfying gameplay loop.
- Various existing titles like Jurrasic World Alive and Zombies, Run! highlight the strengths of the genre.
- This genre is expected to see more exciting releases moving forward.
There was a time when Gameboys were trending, and everyone could play games anywhere. Then came the time of consoles, PCs, and VR. Then came Pokemon GO, and wouldn’t you know it, we all went outside, and the world was at peace for a month or so.
Geolocation games show us that fun can be anywhere, and they combat the norm of a sedentary gaming lifestyle. Most geolocation games require physical activity, movement, and relocation from the bedroom to the living room.
They are perfect for people who must play something at all times and are always on the move. It’s easy to get lost in well-crafted virtual worlds, but the same can happen in the real ones.
Anyone can get carried away with gaming, and even geolocation games can take you over, and you could accidentally wander off. This can especially happen with younger players, which is why that group needs more care and attention.
Hence, in his review of Scannero, journalist Krishi Chowdhary points out the significance of knowing where your younger or older players are at all times, emphasizing some tech features for keeping them and all other players safe.
And with safety out of the way, you can now run with dinosaurs! Jurassic World Alive can combine VR with geolocation mechanics to showcase what our reality would look like with dinosaurs.
In the future, we could see even more fusions of different mechanics and games. AI is the new frontier in game development, and it could lead to more intelligent dinosaurs, Pokemon, or even zombies!
Zombies, Run! adds an element of storytelling to your running or walking sessions, as you are encouraged to walk away from the pesky zombies to progress the storyline (and not get your brains eaten) and finish the levels.
While AAA games continue to struggle, light geolocation games thrive by being simple and not straying from their main purpose, which is to combine physical activity with gaming. Geocaching is a great example of simplicity properly done with the geolocation twist.
Users hide caches filled with items and upload the GPS location online. Other users can then find the caches and replace them with something of equal or greater value. Such a simple geolocation game design is hardly a fraction of a AAA budget, showing that a bombastic title and mountains of money are not necessary to make a game successful.
While high-budget games are expected to continue struggling, geolocation games will continue to capitalize on their target audience and thrive. For instance, high-profile geolocation games like Harry Potter: Wizards Unite do not break budgets and provide quality gameplay.
As we explore the real world, we can find challenges that can be defeated by shouting real Harry Potter spells and collecting rewards. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite will reward you with your knowledge of the wizard world, but there are geolocation games that can reward you with your knowledge of the virtual world.
While World of Warcraft GeoGuessr is not a geolocation game like the others, it still requires you to know the landscape of WoW if you wish to win. Players are presented with an in-game screenshot from a random place in the vast landscape of WoW, and they have to do their best to pinpoint the location on the map.
And while you didn’t explore physical locations like other geolocation games, you still had to explore a virtual world to win. We can imagine a VR integration with such games, allowing you to explore a virtual world just like you would a real one.
Any type of exclusive game content can only benefit geolocation games, just like any other, and help drive more players to them. The more the merrier, and the world, real and virtual, is vast enough for all of us to geolocate and play!
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[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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