Niantic Labs

Niantic Labs is a leading augmented reality (AR) platform that creates location-based games and applications designed to get users exploring the physical world. Best known for Pokémon GO, Niantic combines geospatial technology, AR, and real-world mapping to deliver interactive experiences that blend digital content with real locations. Its primary purpose is to transform everyday environments into dynamic, shared play spaces and discovery platforms.

Niantic’s core capabilities include a robust real-world platform that provides global mapping data, persistent AR anchoring, and multiplayer synchronization. Developers can leverage Niantic’s Lightship platform to build their own AR applications, using tools such as visual positioning, environment understanding, and real-time occlusion to align digital objects with the physical world. The company’s games—like Pokémon GO, Ingress, and Pikmin Bloom—demonstrate large-scale, real-time interaction across millions of players, supported by reliable backend infrastructure. Niantic also offers SDKs and APIs that integrate with popular engines such as Unity, enabling cross-platform deployment on iOS and Android.