In my last article on the subject of mobile games, I posed the question of Pokémon Go’s potential demise. But two other developers seem to be wanting to cash in on the craze’s initial success. While the future of mobile augmented reality gaming is still up in the air, there has been a greater increase in large titles, such as Fortnite and Player Unknown’s Battleground, finding massive success on mobile platforms.
The two new franchises that seem to be following in the footsteps of Pokémon Go are Jurassic World and The Walking Dead. Prior to its U.S. box office debut, developer Ludia released an augmented reality game based on the Fallen Kingdom sequel where your phone’s camera could pick up dinosaurs in the real world as you hunt down different breeds and hybridize them for combat. When I first saw it, I knew it was going to be some rip-off of Pokémon Go.
Now, the AMC hit drama is taking its stab in the dark at the augmented universe by allowing zombies to infiltrate your neighborhood though your phone’s camera lens. In this upcoming game, The Walking Dead: Our World, you’ll get the chance to encounter your favorite (or not so favorite) staple TV characters as you shoot down zombies in real time. The game is set for Android and iOS release on July 12th, and is already being called by major outlets a “Pokémon Go-esque” game.
It will be interesting to see what successes (or failures) will arise from these mobile game releases. As many gamers have come to learn, there’s only so much you can do with a phone screen to make for an enjoyable gaming experience.
