• At Niantic, movement is part of our DNA. Our games are designed to be played outdoors, together with friends

• Niantic Explorers have walked more than 14.9B kilometers with Niantic games so far this year!

World Walking Day is coming up on October 1, and at Niantic we’re all about taking your gaming adventures outdoors. Powered by our real-world AR platform Lightship, our immersive games blur the lines between the virtual and real world, encouraging you to explore the outdoors and get moving.

Whether you’re exploring a new Route in Pokémon GO, planting flowers with Pikmin Bloom, chasing monsters with Monster Hunter Now, hacking a Portal in Ingress, or taking your Peridot out for a walk, our games make every step count.

We believe in the power of shared adventures together with others and fostering a community that motivates you to achieve your movement goals while enjoying the benefits of the outdoors. But don’t just take our word for it. Here are a few inspiring stories of walking adventures as told by our passionate community of Niantic Explorers around the world:

Ingress

“These days, rather than playing Ingress as a game between factions, I enjoy more of the opportunities to discover places around my neighborhood and famous spots while I travel by walking around to visit Portals,” said Ingress Agent Shinshou-san. “Also, joining the preparation to the unofficial activities by utilizing the skills that each Agent has, and enjoying the time together, is another unique part of Ingress that is different to other games, which I enjoy.”

Monster Hunter Now

“Monster Hunter Now gets me excited to get outside. Just the other day I found myself waking up early just to plan a long walk!” said Ashenbubs, from England. “I’ve been getting all my friends and the streaming community involved in playing it together in a friendly competition as we try to beat each other’s Hunter Ranks by walking more each day!”

Peridot

“After losing my dog who was and is still family to me, I felt lost and alone. I didn’t want to go outside or socialize with others,” said Chantal B., a Peridot Keeper from the Netherlands. “Then Peridot came along. Having a virtual pet has brought back my smile and helped me get outside again. Seeing my Peridot run alongside me as I go for a walk makes it less lonely and so wholesome! My friends say they have seen me ‘blossom’ back up.”

Pikmin Bloom

“I haven’t been that physically active in recent years, but I set a goal this spring to to maximize Pikmin Bloom coins, rain or shine,” said John J. from Japan. “Pikmin Bloom was released the same time my wife and I first moved to Japan. We live in a small town which has few foreigners and few people who speak English. On the day the Tiny Book decor Pikmin set was released, we visited our local library. It was there we locked eyes with a local player who immediately asked us ‘Pikmin Bloom?’ with a big smile. It didn’t take long to become best friends, despite the language barrier! Since then, we have been on many road trips together for Community Days, special events, or to hunt for elusive decor Pikmin. I’ve seen parts of my town I never would have stumbled upon otherwise. It wasn’t always easy to get out of bed on the weekends, or to push myself after a long day at work, but Pikmin Bloom has kept me motivated and I still haven’t missed a single day since I started”

Pokémon GO

Matt C., a father of two from Pennsylvania, has walked 2,000 miles in the past year playing Pokémon GO (or roughly 5 miles per day), noting: “Pokémon GO has been able to help me meet people and always have someone to walk with and play with. It’s also helped me in my fitness journey to stay motivated to keep moving and keep working on myself.”

Matt is not the only one who enjoys the walking aspect of Pokémon GO. In fact, according to a recent survey of Pokémon GO players*:

• 65% of players said playing Pokémon GO encouraged them to exercise more
• 62% of players said one of the main reasons they play Pokémon GO is because it encourages them to get outside
• 57% of players said it helped them improve their physical fitness
• 75% of players said Pokémon GO has helped them make new friendships, connections, or find community

*Niantic survey conducted in August 2023 of more than 1,400 players who attended Pokémon GO Fest 2023: New York City