Ingress, or Ingress Prime as it is now known, was developed and published by Niantic. Niantic is a software development company that specializes in augmented reality (AR) games and applications. The company was founded in 2010 as an internal startup within Google and later became an independent company in 2015.
The idea for Ingress came from a concept called “World-scaled AR” which was developed by John Hanke, who is the CEO of Niantic. Hanke had previously worked on Google Maps and Google Earth, and he wanted to create a game that would combine the real world with a virtual layer of gameplay.
The development of Ingress began in 2011 with a small team of engineers and designers at Niantic. The team was tasked with creating a location-based game that would encourage players to explore their surroundings and interact with real-world landmarks and points of interest.
The game was initially released as a closed beta in November 2012, and it garnered a dedicated fan base even before its official launch. Ingress finally launched for Android devices on December 14, 2013, and later for iOS devices on July 14, 2014.
The success of Ingress laid the foundation for Niantic’s future projects, including the widely popular Pokémon Go. Ingress served as a testing ground for Niantic to refine their AR technology and gameplay mechanics, and it paved the way for the company’s subsequent releases.
As for my personal experience with Ingress, I have been an avid player since its early days. I have had the opportunity to witness the game’s evolution, from its humble beginnings to the launch of Ingress Prime. The game has not only provided me with hours of entertainment but has also allowed me to explore new places and meet like-minded individuals in my local community.
Ingress was built by the talented team at Niantic, led by CEO John Hanke. The game’s development began in 2011 and was released as a closed beta in 2012 before its official launch in 2013 for Android devices and 2014 for iOS devices. Ingress served as a stepping stone for Niantic’s future AR projects and has created a passionate and dedicated player community.