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= Augmented Reality in [[Pokémon GO]] =
[[Augmented Reality]] (AR) is a technology that overlays computer-generated images, sounds, and contextual data onto the real world, creating an interactive composite view. Unlike [https://vrarwiki.com/wiki/Virtual_reality Virtual Reality], which replaces the user’s surroundings entirely, AR supplements reality—letting digital [[Pokémon]] appear on streets, in parks, or even on a player’s desk. Since its launch in July 2016, Pokémon GO has continuously expanded its AR tool-set, evolving from a simple camera overlay into sophisticated, persistent, and shared experiences that leverage surface detection, spatial mapping, and cloud anchoring.
! Year !! Milestone !! Key details !! Sources
|-
| 2016 || Launch overlay || Basic camera passthrough; optional toggle for battery savings. || <ref name="Launch2016">{{cite web|title=Pokémon GO Support—Catching Pokémon in AR mode|url=https://niantic.helpshift.com/|accesshc/en/6-date=2025pokemon-04go/faq/28-27}}catching-pokemon-in-ar-mode/</ref>
|-
| 2017 || [[AR+]] (iOS) || Surface detection, proximity ‘‘stealth’’ meter, and ''Expert Handler'' bonus on ARKit devices. || <ref name="ARPlus2017">{{cite web|title=AR+ is now available in Pokémon GO!|url=https://pokemongolive.com/post/arplus/|date=2017-12-20}}</ref><!-- :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} -->
|-
| 2018 || AR+ on Android || Requires ARCore-compatible phones running Android 7.0+. || <ref name="ARPlusAndroid2018">{{cite news|title=Pokémon GO AR+ comes to ARCore Android devices|url=https://9to5google.com/2018/10/11/pokemon-go-ar-plus-android/|date=2018-10-11}}</ref>
|-
| 2019 || [[GO Snapshot]] || Stand-alone photo mode for any stored Pokémon; supports social sharing and Smeargle photobombs. || <ref name="Snapshot2019">{{cite web|title=Snap off the lens cap on your inner photographer!|url=https://pokemongolive.com/post/go-snapshot-announce/|date=2019-02-11}}</ref><!-- :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2} -->
|-
| 2019 || [[Buddy Adventure]] || Let Trainers interact with and photograph buddies together in Shared AR. || <ref name="Buddy2019">{{cite web|title=Buddy Adventure coming soon—even more ways to explore, grow, and bond with your buddy!|url=https://pokemongolive.com/post/buddyadventurelaunch/|date=2019-12-17}}</ref><!-- :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3} -->
|-
| 2020 || Reality Blending & AR Mapping || Depth-based occlusion and crowd-sourced PokéStop Scan tasks. || <ref name="RealityBlending2020">{{cite web|title=Reality Blending and PokéStop Scanning Come to Pokémon GO|url=https://nianticlabspokemongolive.com/newspost/realityblending-announcement/|date=2020-05-26}}</ref><!-- :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4} -->
|-
| 2024 || [[Pokémon Playgrounds]] || VPS-anchored, persistent AR that other players can see. || <ref name="Playgrounds2024">{{cite web|title=Engineering Pokémon Playgrounds|url=https://nianticlabs.com/news/pokemon-playgrounds/|date=2024-11-13}}</ref><!-- :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5} -->
|}
=== AR Catching & AR+ ===
* **Standard AR mode** places the wild Pokémon in the centre of the camera feed and tracks the device’s [[gyroscope]] and [[accelerometer]] for orientation.
* **AR+ mode** (2017 iOS / 2018 Android) anchors Pokémon to detected planes, renders them at canonical scale, and introduces an *awareness meter*—approach too quickly and the target may flee.<ref name="ARPlus2017"/><!-- :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6} -->
=== [[GO Snapshot]] ===
Players can choose any caught Pokémon, place it on a detected surface, reposition it, and capture photos. Smeargle and special-event photobombs may appear after a snapshot session.<ref name="Snapshot2019"/>
=== [[Buddy Adventure]] & Shared AR ===
In **Play Together**, Trainers feed, pet, and walk with their [[Buddy Pokémon]] rendered in real space; Shared AR syncs up to three buddies for group photos.<ref name="Buddy2019"/>
=== Reality Blending ===
Supported devices use depth APIs to let Pokémon move *behind* furniture or trees, improving realism through occlusion.<ref name="RealityBlending2020"/>
=== AR Mapping tasks ===
Field Research labelled **AR Mapping** asks Trainers to record short, anonymised videos of PokéStops; these scans refine Niantic’s 3-D maps and unlock in-game bonuses such as powered-up PokéStops.<ref name="RealityBlending2020"/>
=== Pokémon Playgrounds ===
An experimental feature that lets Trainers anchor Pokémon persistently at real-world landmarks for others to discover and photograph, enabled by Niantic’s [[Visual Positioning System]].<ref name="Playgrounds2024"/>
== Technology stack ==
! Layer !! Implementation !! Sources
|-
| Device frameworks || [[ARKit]] planeFinding plane-finding on iOS 11+ devices<ref name="ARKitDoc">{{cite web|title=Tracking and visualizing planes – Apple ARKit documentation|url=https://developer.apple.com/documentation/arkit/tracking-and-visualizing-planes}}</ref><!-- :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12} --> and [[ARCore]] Plane APIs on Android 7+ phones<ref name="ARCoreDoc">{{cite web|title=Plane – ARCore reference|url=https://developers.google.com/ar/reference/java/com/google/ar/core/Plane}}</ref><!-- :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13} --> || Niantic Lightship ARDK || Cross-platform SDK adding meshing, depth, semantic segmentation, and multiplayer.<ref name="Lightship">{{cite web|title=Niantic Lightship ARDK Release Notes v3.11|url=https://lightship.dev/docs/ardk/release_notes/release3.11/}}</ref><!-- :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14} --> || Visual Positioning System || Cloud-hosted anchors with centimetre accuracy power Playgrounds and future persistent content.<ref name="Playgrounds2024"/> |
| Networking || Peer-to-peer sessions synchronise transforms for Shared AR.<ref name="Buddy2019"/> |
|}
== Future outlook ==
Niantic has signalled plans for richer occlusion, weather-aware behaviours, and eventual headset support, leveraging its Large Geospatial Model and continued Lightship ARDK updates.<ref name="Lightship"/>
== External links ==
