Niantic is relaunching AR pioneer Ingress

The creators of Pokemon Go have announced that they are taking another stab at its predecessor.

Ingress will be relaunched under the name Ingress Prime, featuring a new UI, new technology and a brand new story arc. The original game launched in 2012 and has been downloaded over 20m times. It’s broadly similar to Pokemon Go, albeit with a cyberpunk theme.

The new game will look significantly better than the first and will be hosted on the same platform as Pokemon Go, meaning updates and improvements can be rolled out to both simultaneously. It will also boast new augmented reality features designed to make better use of modern smartphone cameras.

“When Ingress first launched five years ago, we helped create a new genre of games that foster exploration, discovery, friendship, and exercise,” Niantic founder and chief executive officer John Hanke said.

“Ingress is the foundation of our real-world gaming platform and showcases our ability to create in-game and live experiences that can be a force for positive change in communities worldwide. With Ingress Prime, we’re ushering in a new chapter of the game for our passionate fans who have been with us since the beginning as well as the next evolution of the experience for those new to Ingress.”

There’s a very dramatic trailer for the game below. The new Ingress is due to roll out on iOS and Android in 2018. The company recently raised $200m in venture capitalist funding and has a Harry Potter AR game due out in 2018.