How to play Pokémon Go when everyone’s stuck inside

Enlarge / Remember when Pokemon were allowed to get within 6 feet of each other? (credit: Niantic)

While most game makers are seeing booming usage statistics in the era of coronavirus-induced social distancing, Niantic is in the opposite position. The company's games-including Poki(C)mon Go, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, and Ingress-are all built around the idea of leaving the house and meeting up with people in real-world locations.

Now that those things are impossible or discouraged for large portions of the population, Niantic is adjusting its game design philosophy to "embrace real-world gaming from home," as it says in a blog update today.

"We have always believed that our games can include elements of indoor play that complement the outdoor, exercise and explore DNA of what we build," the company writes. "Now is the time for us to prioritize this work, with the key challenge of making playing indoors as exciting and innovative as our outdoor gameplay."

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