Niantic Spatial and Kojima Productions Join Forces on Real-World Storytelling

• Hideo Kojima and Niantic CEO John Hanke announced a new tech partnership at Beyond The Strand in Tokyo.
• The collaboration aims to bring Kojima’s narrative experiences into the real world using geospatial AI.

At Beyond The Strand, an event commemorating the tenth anniversary of KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS, Hideo Kojima and Niantic Spatial CEO John Hanke appeared onstage to announce a new partnership. The collaboration will use Niantic’s geospatial AI to bring elements of Kojima’s storytelling into physical spaces.

The companies described the effort as a way to move beyond screen-based experiences. Kojima said he was eager to “create experiences where you can climb real mountains while finding entertainment there, and connecting with real friends.” Hanke called it “a new canvas for real-world storytelling and interaction.”

The partnership builds on Kojima’s track record of narrative innovation, including the award-winning Death Stranding series. Niantic’s geospatial AI platform, anchored by its Visual Positioning System and real-time semantic mapping, will serve as the technical foundation for these new interactive formats.

🌀 Tom’s Take:

Both teams have a proven track record in storytelling and bringing narratives into the physical world through AR. We’ll be watching closely to see what comes from this collaboration.

Disclosure: Tom Emrich has previously worked with or holds interests in companies mentioned. His commentary is based solely on public information and reflects his personal views.

Source: Niantic Spatial