Settlers of Catan is a 24-year-old iconic board game where players are competing to build up colonies on an imaginary island named Catan (the famous game board). This game is easy to learn despite being deeply tactical. Now, it looks like this can be played not just as a game board anymore. It's about to become an augmented reality (AR) game, too. You read it right. What you used to know (or even play) as merely a game board for more than two decades can now be enjoyably played online via an electronic or mobile device.
As reported by TechCrunch via The Verge, seemingly, "Work has begun on a new version of this classic game called 'Catan: World Explorers." As the game's site describes this new game, Catan would transform the whole universe "into a game board." Niantic, the company responsible for the two popular video games, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite and Pokemon Go, is also involved in this development in video games.
Tight-Lipped Niantic
While Niantic has been silent about this whole-new gaming thing, it confirmed to The Verge its involvement in the creation of the game. In a written statement, the company said this video game is being created on the Niantic Real World Platform. It added, there will be more information to share on "Catan: World Explorers." It appears, though, too that players can have interactions with NPCs and other players to trade materials. As what is usually done in the board game, players play to win victory points.
This is not the first time Catan has transformed into an AR game. There are other editions of the game, too, designed for consoles and smartphones. Nevertheless, this one seems to coolest of all. Gaming experts share they are quite curious about the construction of roads and settlements. They wonder too, how such construction and settlements will work in the game world.
From Board to Digital Platform
This video game version of Catan is not possible without the original board game, Settlers of Catan. With this classic indoor game, players compete to develop the best and biggest land settlement, using combined strategy and luck. Because of the dice and modular board that directs the play, this game turns in different ways every time.
Meanwhile, this video game version of Catan won't work similar to Harry Potter Wizards Unite and Pokemon GO, and the players are set to build the world in a big way. The Catan universe of Niantic will require each player to construct roads tactically, extend settlements, and above all, race to win Victory points. Additionally, several sorts of matches are also expected from this game. Therefore, gamers can compete with friends via custom personal matches.
