Niantic Releases Harry Potter AR Mobile Game Wizards Unite

Niantic Inc., creators of mobile gaming phenomenon Pokemon Go, has released a new game on Thursday that features Harry Potter and other characters from the blockbuster movies.

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite was co-developed by Pokemon Go developer Niantic Inc and AT&T Inc’s Warner Bros, which owns the rights to develop entertainment based on author J.K. Rowling’s popular Harry Potter series.

Wizards Unite had been scheduled to debut on Friday, but players in the United States found they were able to download it on Thursday afternoon.

Like Pokemon Go, Wizards Unite uses augmented reality and Google mapping to make it look like characters are appearing in the real world. Players see characters, creatures and other elements overlaid on the landscape that they see through their phone’s camera as they move around.

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite combines content and characters you probably know from both the original Harry Potter series and the Fantastic Beasts films in a Wizarding World experience. It’s up to you to ready your wand, prepare your potions, brush up your spells and help prevent The Calamity from exposing the secrets of the wizarding world.

A calamity has befallen the wizarding world, causing artefacts, creatures, people, and even memories to mysteriously appear in the Muggle world. Witches and wizards from across the globe must come together to solve the mystery of The Calamity, overcome the confounding chaotic magic that surrounds these “Foundables,” and return them to their rightful place, keeping them safe from Muggle eyes.

Your journey begins as a new recruit of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force, established by the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards for the purpose of investigating and containing The Calamity.

As you step outside and explore the world, the Map will reveal Traces of magic, highlighting the location of magical Foundables. While these Traces can be found all around you, certain Foundables may be more likely to appear at various types of real-world locations including parks, banks, municipal buildings, college campuses, libraries, monuments, zoos, art galleries, and more. Cast a variety of spells to overcome the Confoundable magic, keep the magical Foundables safe, and send them back to the wizarding world. By returning Foundables, you’ll earn unique rewards that can be tracked in the game Registry.

As you cast spells, you’ll consume Spell Energy. Be sure to regularly stop by Inns, found at Muggle locations around the world, to collect food and drinks that replenish your Spell Energy. While exploring, you’ll also come across ingredients that can be used to brew Potions, which will aid you in different aspects of your Wizarding World journey. These ingredients can be found on the Map, varying by the environment, weather, and time of day, as well as in specially designated Greenhouses.

Make sure to also keep an eye out for Portmanteaus, which can be unlocked to reveal Portkeys that whisk you away to iconic wizarding world locations. For the first time you’ll be able to step into a full 360-degree Advanced AR immersive experience in places like Ollivander’s Wand Shop.

Test your combat skills by visiting one of the multiple Fortresses indicated on the Map. Fortresses are host to Wizarding Challenges, real-time multiplayer battles against dangerous foes, including Death Eaters and ferocious Werewolves. You won’t want to face these threats alone–gather your friends to take on threats of even higher levels and recover rarer magical Foundables from within the Fortress walls.

To further develop your wizarding skills, you can also choose to specialize in different magical Professions. Aurors, Magizoologists, and Professors each have their own unique skills and abilities that will come in handy at different times, particularly during Wizarding Challenges.

Pokemon Go exploded after its introduction in 2016, sending players into city streets, offices, parks and restaurants to search for colorful animated characters.

The most important thing to know is that Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is supported in Android 5.0.

Here's a list of confirmed supported devices, though it will be likely longer:

Pixel: Pixel 1XL Pixel 2, Pixel 3, Pixel 3XL
Asus: Asus Zenfone 3, Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1
Huawei: Huawei P10, Huawei P20, Huawei P20 Lite, Huawei Honor 8
OnePlus: OnePlus 3, OnePlus 3T
LG: LG G6+
Pocophone: Pocophone F1
Samsung: Samsung Note 9, Samsung Galaxy A3, Samsung J5, Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S6, Samsung Galaxy S7, Smasung Galaxy S9,
Samsung Galaxy S10
Sony: Sony Xperia z3

In addition, iOS users are going to need an iPhone 5s or newer: