Kojima Productions and Niantic Spatial team up for real-world storytelling adventures using geospatial AI technology

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Video game creator Hideo Kojima surprised fans at the 10th anniversary event for his studio, Kojima Productions, called Beyond The Strand. He joined Niantic CEO John Hanke on stage to announce a collaboration that could bring Kojima’s well-known stories to life in the real world, using Niantic’s technology that maps and interacts with the physical world.

As a long-time Pokémon GO player, I’ve always been impressed with how Niantic pushes the boundaries of augmented reality on our phones. Their new project feels like a natural step forward, and the teaser they released showed exactly what I was hoping for – someone seamlessly interacting with digital stuff overlaid on the real world. It looks amazing and like a perfect fit for mobile gaming!

Niantic Spatial brings advanced AR tech to create interactive mobile experiences

The main character collects a special “seed” within the augmented reality environment, which essentially creates a digital canvas. They then plant this seed to grow a tree. It’s similar to Pokémon GO in that you collect items, but it has a much more unique and artistic style, reminiscent of Hideo Kojima’s work. The game appears to be very expansive and could potentially be played throughout your city.

Kojima Productions is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a special event called “Beyond The Strand.” They’ve announced a new partnership with Niantic Spatial, focusing on geospatial AI technology. #KojimaProductions #KJP10th #NianticSpatial

— KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS (Eng) (@KojiPro2015_EN) September 23, 2025

John Hanke explained that they’re creating a dynamic, interactive representation of the world, allowing both people and technology to connect with it and share stories. He also shared his excitement about collaborating with KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS, anticipating that their combined efforts will deliver exciting experiences for both current and new fans.

These visuals really suggest mobile is ideal for this type of storytelling. It feels like a natural evolution of mobile experiences, not just a fleeting AR trend. Ultimately, AR offers a fantastic way to connect with stories in our daily lives.

Look, Kojima Productions is known for incredible stories, but they haven’t really focused on mobile gaming before. They did bring *Death Stranding: Director’s Cut* to mobile last year, but it’s a bit of a bummer – it *only* works on the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. That seriously limits who can actually play it on their phones, you know?

Niantic creates augmented reality games for many different phones and tablets, so I’m optimistic this partnership will be accessible to a large number of mobile gamers. We should hear more specifics shortly, which is great news!

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2025-09-24 09:11