So while it is currently unknown what AR functionality will be included, it seems some mix of spellcasting and beast encounters to some extent. Niantic will be producing the game in conjunction with WB's Portkey Games studio.
"The beloved Harry Potter stories have captured imaginations worldwide for more than 20 years and soon we’ll turn the fantasy into augmented reality, allowing fans and their friends to become wizards and witches," Niantic CEO John Hanke said in a statement.
Original story follows:
The game will be developed in collaboration with Warner Bros. Interactive's new Potter-focused sub brand, Portkey Games, according to Tech Crunch. Niantic is currently set to release the game in 2018.TechCrunch reports details are scarce but the game will supposedly share elements with Niantic's first venture, Ingress. The company's follow-up, Pokemon Go, has been a massive success for the developer, and given how popular the Harry Potter franchise is, Niantic's next game follows suit in adapting a beloved worldwide franchise.
Niantic previously confirmed that they had projects in development that were built on the foundation laid down by Ingress and Pokemon Go, but this is the first confirmation of the existence of the studio's next game.
IGN has reached out to Niantic and WB for more details on the project.
Still playing Pokemon Go? Check out our Pokemon Go wiki guide. Niantic recently purchased Evertoon to integrate social media into Pokemon Go, and read about how our own Andrew Goldfarb flew 1,750 miles to catch a Pokemon!