Niantic's new Pokémon GO game combines bitcoin and augmented reality

Pokémon GO developer Niantic has teamed up with payments and cryptocurrency company Fold to create the Fold AR, an unusual (not to mention bizarre) game in which you “mine” bitcoin (BTC) in augmented reality. Through the game, players can earn tiny fractions of the digital asset called satoshis (CLAUSE).

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In a press release, Fold characterizes its new game as a “part of the metaverse”, as it brings cryptocurrencies to reality. The company's CEO, Will Reeves, explains that the game is based on a metaphor of "Mining" or bitcoin no real world.

We are talking about a Pokémon GO that, instead of capturing little monsters, you find cubes of binary code in augmented reality. When interacting with them, the player extract satoshis like ore blocks in Minecraft.

In addition to bitcoin fractions, which are currently worth much less than a penny, Fold AR users will also be able to get bonuses for purchases through the Fold app and card, which includes a “prize wheel” and bitcoin rewards.

Reeves said the purpose of the game is, in part, to make a virtual currency look real, creating an augmented reality environment for her. It is a strategy to bring more users to the crypto world and promote interactivity with a concept that is barely tangible for many people.

Therefore, the game is full of jokes popular among the cryptocurrency community and other memes. “This is a wonderful experience to share with people,” says the executive. However, unlike Pokémon GO, which allows the user to capture monsters until the phone's battery runs out, mining blocks appear within a radius close to the user every ten minutes, representing the actual mining rate of the digital asset.

Fold AR should add multiplayer and NFTs

In addition to this initial gameplay, the Fold and Niantic team hopes launch other features early next year, potentially including a multiplayer mode in which players could “hide” bitcoins on the map for their friends to find. There are plans to also integrate a system involving NFTs and cryptocurrency, but no further details were revealed.

This is yet another game of the “play to earn” model, which integrates the players' finances into the game's system and allows you to earn a few bucks while having fun. According to Fold, its new app would also be the “first experience in augmented reality with bitcoin”.

The game was officially announced this week, but not yet available for download. The game page only says that the release for all users should arrive "coming soon”. The app will be compatible with Android and iOS devices.