Ingress – Gamification of Real Life
I have recently come across a mobile game that I thought was worth a mention; not because of it’s addictive nature or strong design, but because I think it is truly revolutionary and could be the start of an exciting trend in gaming.
Ingress works by overlaying a sci-fi game over Google maps. Players then control ‘real world’ checkpoints by deploying defenses and using weapons within the game . The only way you can challenge people and progress in the game is by physically being in the right place at the right time (hopefully my screen shot will give you an idea). Gone are the days where every MMO (massively multiplayer online) game would be dominated by the players that sit behind a screen for all hours a day and become unbeatably good. Not only does this actually get you out moving, but its addictive nature actually makes you want to visit new places!
The reason I think this is revolutionary is that it successfully bridges the gap between fictional virtual worlds and the world around us. Foursquare made a crack at this by introducing the title of ‘mayor’ for the most checkins at certain locations, but Ingress takes it to a whole new level. The exciting part is certainly yet to come as wearables begin tying in with games like Ingress. Microsoft’s Hololens was an exciting announcement recently and something that will open up amazing opportunities for the gamification of the world around us.
I strongly recommend checking it out..