CATAN fans will be excited to learn that Niantic is working on CATAN World Explorers, which is available for pre-registration. This GPS map-centric mobile game turns your entire neighborhood or town into a giant CATAN game board. In fact, players can transform the entire world into a massive game board. Settlers can build structures where they choose to, using materials in the game. CATAN structures include buildings, structures, and resources required to build settlements.
What makes CATAN World Explorers so special?
What sets this version of CATAN apart is its integration of augmented reality. CATAN World Explorers makes good use of both GPS and AR to bring a holistic experience to players right on their mobile devices. Niantic has also confirmed that it will continue to work with augmented reality in its future endeavors. While the technology seems to be very futuristic, older CATAN players will still see familiar features in the new game.
Wool, ore, grain, bricks and lumber are all still part of the World Explorers. As in real-life situations, every city or town in CATAN will be blessed with different amounts of these five resources. Players will need to use their intelligence and skills sets to build successful settlements using these basic resources.
Players can connect with other gamers to build settlements, expand them and to compete with each other for Victory Points. Friends can engage in custom personal matches while teams can also play against other teams elsewhere in the world. Winners can expect rewards and hope to relive settlement building process that was common centuries ago.
When is the game expected on mobile devices?
The game is expected in early 2020 and will go for public testing soon. Niantic’s new venture has already earned excitement and will most likely earn critical acclaim. Critics have pointed out that games such as CATAN can help build a healthy attitude towards development. As development and settlements have changed ecology and landscape, becoming aware about their consequences is very important. Games such as CATAN help people to safely partake in settlement building while also understanding the importance of resources.
