Transformers Augmented Reality Game Coming From Studio Behind 'Pokemon Go'

The company responsible for one of the most popular mobile games of the last decade will turn its efforts to creating a game based on the popular Transformers brand.

What Happened: Niantic Labs, the company best-known for creating “Pokemon Go,” is creating “Transformers: Heavy Metal.”

The new location-based augmented reality game will launch later this year globally with a soft launch in select countries coming “soon,” The Verge reports.

Players of the game will join the Guardian Network, “a group of humans who have banded together with the Autobots in a war against the Decepticons.” Guardians will look for hidden regions around the world and find resources to battle Decepticons.

Turn-based battles will include solo mode and with friends.

Why It’s Important: Hasbro Inc HAS is the owner of the Transformers brand and has plans to launch more movies in the franchise.

A well-received game launch for Transformers could help boost demand for Transformers toys, licensing partners and box office revenue. A similar move happened with "Pokemon Go" leading to increased sales of Pokemon toys, cards and games for the company and Nintendo Co Ltd NTDOY.

"Pokemon Go" is coming off of a year that saw the game pass $1 billion in revenue in the first 10 months.

Niantic is launching more mobile games for Nintendo including an announced 2021 release of the Pikmin series. A Harry Potter-themed “Wizards Unite” game was also released from Niantic.

Niantic was spun off from Alphabet Inc GOOGGOOGL in 2015 and now counts Google, Nintendo, NetEase Inc NTES and The Pokemon Co as investors in the company.

Photo by Gundam BBULL on Flickr