Is Niantic finally about to let me throw pokeballs in Pokmon Go through this 8wall update?!
I’ve not missed a generation. I’ve not loved one since the 3DS era. They still get my money. It’s complicated childhood trauma, so let’s talk about something more fun.
Pokémon Go! Let me save you a quick search: yes, the game is still alive and I still play daily. But it’s become a FOMO-induced habit more than anything. And with Niantic going through massive layoffs recently, I can’t help but wonder if these are the final years of the game?But you know what? Niantic is an AR-first company. Sure, their games are fun, but data-harvesting is the name of the true game. And I’ll gladly feed them more data if this update to 8wall means that hand tracking may be coming to Pokémon Go too!
Hold up, hold up, hold up–What’s 8wall?
Glad you asked! Think of it as a web-based platform, which allows developers to build augmented reality experiences for a wide range of applications.
For example, let’s say that you own a jewelry store and would like to allow your customers to try on your beautiful creations without the hassle of them having to visit you on site. Well, through 8wall, you — or rather, the dev you hire — can do that!
But if you watch the trailer above, which Niantic posted to showcase the new feature, you can instantly see how I made the connection to Pokémon Go. Well, as long as you’ve played or you’ve seen someone play, that is. I'm talking about the demo where someone is tossing an aura-sphere-thing around in their hands.
Now imagine if that were pokeball that you can toss in the game through the already existing AR feature, which almost no one uses. Given how much experience Niantic has, I don’t think that porting something like this over from 8wall — which is still a web-based platform — to Pokémon Go would be that big of a deal.Still though, even if that never happens, having hand tracking in a platform like this truly unlocks a ton of potential. It also means that hand tracking is becoming both better and easier to do properly.
View Full BioStan, also known as Stako, is a smartphone enthusiast who loves exploring the limits of Android customization. His journey with mobile tech began with the Nokia 5110 and evolved with devices like the BlackBerry 9350 Curve and Samsung Galaxy A4. Despite his love for Android, he holds equal respect for Apple, considering the iPhone 4s as a significant milestone in mobile tech. Stan started his writing career early, contributing to MetalWorld, and harbors a passion for creative writing. Beyond smartphones, he's interested in photography, design, composition, and gaming, often preferring solo projects to hone his objective thinking. He's also an avid student of open-source technology and consoles, with a special fondness for the Pebble Watch, Arduboy, and Playdate.
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