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Niantic likely developing Harry Potter game exclusive to Samsung Galaxy Note
- Although no announcement has been made, inside sources suggest Samsung is about to invest $40 million into game-maker Niantic.
- The substantial investment will result in Niantic games pre-loaded on Samsung smartphones.
- The partnership could also result in a Samsung Galaxy Note-exclusive Harry Potter game in which you use the S Pen as a makeshift wizard’s wand.
According to an anonymous source speaking with The Inquirer, Samsung is poised to make a substantial investment in mobile game maker Niantic, creator of the worldwide smash Pokémon Go. This potential new partnership could result in Niantic games being pre-loaded onto future Samsung devices, as well as Niantic creating games exclusive to Samsung smartphones.
Reportedly, Niantic is planning to file an IPO in 2019 and thus needs to raise money. Samsung — looking to work through its mobile division “crisis” — is looking to add more perceived value to its smartphone lineup. As such, the two companies are looking to help each other out, with Samsung providing a new injection of cash (reportedly $40 million) and Niantic providing Samsung with exclusive content.
According to the anonymous source, Niantic games like Ingress Prime will come pre-loaded on certain Samsung phones, most likely on its high-end Galaxy lineup. However, Niantic and Samsung may take its potential partnership even further with Niantic releasing a Harry Potter game exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy Note lineup in which you use the Note’s S Pen as a makeshift wizard’s wand.
Niantic is planning to release a Harry Potter-themed game in 2019 called Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. It isn’t clear if this Note-exclusive game would be a special edition of that game or a whole new game altogether.
Despite the success of Pokémon Go, we shouldn’t expect to see it pre-loaded onto any Samsung devices, as that franchise is reportedly not a part of this deal. The source claims that Niantic is “super protective” of that franchise, and wouldn’t agree to its involvement in any partnerships.
This wouldn’t be the first time Samsung partnered with a hot mobile gaming company. For a brief time, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 was the only Android smartphone on which you could play Fortnite. However, it does appear this deal will take things even further than that.
Neither Samsung nor Niantic have issued any statements on the alleged deal. According to the anonymous source, we could see an announcement before the year is up.
What do you think? Would you buy a Samsung Galaxy Note smartphone to play exclusive Niantic-produced games, or does that not have an effect on your purchase decisions? Let us know what you think in the comments!
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