![]() A year before Niantic spun out, Google put a ton of its own money into Magic Leap, a startup that, like Niantic, is working with gaming and AR. ![]() Perhaps Google decided it already had a bet in the space. And potential partners, like Nintendo, would usually rather partner with an independent company rather than a giant like Google. That is, Google loves platforms - like its app store and maps - and does not want to be seen as favoring one developer over others. (We asked if Niantic if that was the case, but didn't get a response.) Hanke told Business Insider his operation was "always kind of bumping up against Google's desire to stay neutral." Niantic's independence was likely the clincher in getting its partner, Nintendo, signed on for Pokémon Go. One key reason for Niantic's split may be the latter group mentioned in that statement: Partners. They're now ready to accelerate their growth by becoming an independent company, which will help them align more closely with investors and partners in the entertainment space. ![]() Here's what Google said at the time of the spinoff: Niantic had, on the back of Ingress' traction, become more of a gaming company than a Google one. Hanke told Business Insider the talks "surfaced" as Alphabet did. (Google Fiber, its broadband unit, was one.) Niantic's plan was either to roll its tech back into Google eventually or be spun out, said a person familiar with its origins.Īlthough Niantic spun out when Alphabet was announced, this person said the plans were in place before the corporate restructuring began. Niantic was set up as an "autonomous business unit" - an early Google experiment, pre-dating Alphabet, in running projects at arm's length from the mothership. Pokémon Go is basically Ingress repackaged with Pokémon characters. They released a couple of Android apps: Field Trip, a location-based notification service, and Ingress, a multiplayer mobile game around physical spots. He and a small band of engineers had this task: Build stuff on top of Google's mapping tech. John Hanke, a key figure behind Google Maps and Earth, was given leeway to form Niantic in 2010. ![]() Niantic began, like many old Google projects, as a pipe dream of a proven exec. Personal Loans for 670 Credit Score or Lower Personal Loans for 580 Credit Score or Lower Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit ![]()
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