Since Pokemon GO was released in July 2016, developer Niantic has embraced technological developments in a big way. For example, Niantic introduced the AR Plus feature to the game in December of last year, allowing players to find Pokemon hiding behind objects such as bushes. While this feature went a long way towards making the game and its characters feel more alive, it's not the only thing that Niantic can do to make Pokemon GO feel realistic.

Niantic recently held a presentation showing off the concepts for its in-development technology and this includes an expansion on the ideas mentioned above. Called Codename: Niantic Occlusion, the tech is described as "real-world AR occlusion" which essentially means that Pokemon will be able to interact with the world as though they are actually in it, rather than just existing on the player's screen.

In a proof of concept video of the technology, Niantic shows Pikachu running around a paved area. In the first concept example, however, Pikachu is able to navigate its way behind potted planters, weaving in between people's legs as they walk past.

In a second concept example, Pikachu is joined by Eevee and the two run around, following the same route. It's far from perfect and at one point, viewers can see the Eevee glitch out and temporarily disappear, but it does make the game feel a lot more realistic. It's unclear if Niantic plans to release this as a proper feature for Pokemon GO and if so, when that may happen, but it looks promising.

Codename: Niantic Occlusion isn't the only AR technology advancement that Niantic has recently shown off. Alongside the occlusion tech, the developer also revealed gameplay demos for two AR multiplayer games it has codenamed Neon and Tonehenge. The developer hasn't revealed concrete plans to release these games officially either, but it just highlights Niantic's efforts in the space.

Positively, Niantic also confirmed that it would detail its Real World Platform later this year. That platform is expected to include much of the AR-related developments that Niantic has been teasing (including the occlusion and cross-platform tech). Niantic is keen to push the AR development industry forward whether that be with Pokemon GO and its other games or the platforms it makes available to others; that's very exciting for fans from whichever perspective they look at it from.

Pokemon GO is available on Android and iOS devices.

Source: YouTube