Niantic launches new ‘Studio’ interface for web-based XR development and 3D creation

In Augmented Reality News

June 18, 2024 – At Augmented World Expo (AWE) 2024 in Long Beach today, Niantic, a provider of augmented reality (AR) technologies and the creator of Pokemon GO, introduced Niantic Studio – a new visual interface for Niantic 8th Wall developers that offers an entirely new way to build immersive 3D and XR experiences.

Niantic noted that traditionally, building web-based XR and 3D experiences has been a code-intensive process with little visual feedback of what developers are building. But with Niantic Studio, now in public beta, developers are given a visual interface that makes everything they create accessible and visible in real time. With this new release, developers and creators of all skill levels can now start building with Niantic 8th Wall.

What is Niantic Studio?

Studio is a new approach to building immersive XR and 3D experiences with Niantic 8th Wall. The company has completely overhauled the development environment with Studio, moving from a code-only interface to a more intuitive visual editor that combines the speed and power of the web with the robust tools needed to create more realistic 3D web games and XR experiences.

Studio offers solutions for both seasoned web developers and designers, enabling progressive complexity depending on what users want to build. Studio can be used to create everything from AR scenes that use Face Effects or World Tracking to more complex 3D web games and immersive XR experiences, according to Niantic.

What Features Does Niantic Studio Offer Developers?

Features that Studio offers developers include:

• A real-time visual interface that eliminates the gap between ideation and visualization, meaning that each action a developer takes—from adding or adjusting assets in a 3D space to real-time scene manipulation—is reflected instantly.
• Easy-to-add interactivity that quickly brings experiences to life with built-in tools for powerful graphic elements like physics, cameras, lighting, animation, particles, audio, game triggers, and more.
• An all-new web gaming engine that is built on a familiar Entity Component System (ECS) gaming structure. Studio also includes a powerful new web gaming engine designed to simplify complex development tasks.
• Editable live play and simulation that allows developers to build, edit, and preview 3D scenes in real time. Play Mode allows developers to preview their experience and even make edits while projects play, with changes saved automatically.
• Access to powerful web-based XR functionalities like Face Effects, World Tracking, and the ability to distribute through Niantic’s Metaversal Deployment.
• Additional tools for creation and collaboration that allow teams with a wide range of technical knowledge to collaborate and iterate on experiences.

When and Where is Niantic Studio Available?

Niantic Studio is in public beta and is available now to all 8th Wall developers for free. Existing 8th Wall developers can get started using Studio by selecting “Studio” as the creative tool when beginning a new project. New users can sign up for a free basic 8th Wall account and start building their first experiences using one of Niantic’s available Studio sample projects.

To learn more about Niantic, its 8th Wall platform, and its augmented reality solutions for the web browser, please visit the company’s website.

Image credit: Niantic