SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NextNav, a leader in next generation GPS, today announced that its vertical location service, Pinnacle, has been integrated into Atlas: Earth, a soon-to-be-released game developed by Atlas Reality. With the 3D geolocation capabilities of NextNav Pinnacle, Atlas: Earth will deliver a gaming experience built around the real environments of users, especially in densely populated areas and multistory buildings. The integration of vertical location powering in-game functionality marks a first for the gaming industry, which is expected to grow to over a $215 billion market by 2024.
“The integration of Pinnacle into Atlas: Earth represents a milestone moment for the gaming industry,” said Ganesh Pattabiraman, CEO of NextNav. “With precise 3D geolocation, we’re ushering in a new era of immersive gaming experiences that will redefine the way we interact, explore, and live in both the physical and virtual world – bringing us closer to building the Metaverse. We’re excited to work with Atlas Reality to deliver a one-of-a-kind experience for consumers.”
Atlas: Earth, which launches on October 18, 2021 and is now available for pre-registrations, will allow users to purchase virtual parcels of real estate that, when owned, operate as digital properties tethered to real locations. Within the game, Pinnacle will deliver precise vertical location intelligence, enabling users to record visits to locations such as the top floor of the Empire State Building or the Skygarden in the San Francisco Federal Building. The game introduces a first-of-its-kind model in which users can earn real income by selling virtual items that can only be purchased when a user is physically on-premise – which is verified by NextNav’s Pinnacle – at locations owned within the game’s universe.
“In 2020, Atlas Reality launched its debut location-based game, Atlas: Empires, which has recorded nearly 500,000 global downloads,” said Sami Khan, Co-Founder and CEO at Atlas Reality. “With the launch of our next game, Atlas: Earth, the integration of Pinnacle will allow us to set a new standard for immersive gaming experiences. We’re proud to be the first game to bring this location-based experience to consumers, and we’re looking forward to continuing to lead the industry in fusing physical surroundings into consumer gaming experiences.”
In late 2020, NextNav released its Pinnacle SDK for the Unity engine, enabling millions of developers to integrate vertical location capabilities into any application built with the Unity engine, including geolocation games, training applications, industrial and manufacturing apps and beyond. More recently, the plug-in became a Unity Verified Solution – which ensures it’s optimized for integration with the latest version of the Unity editor, and provides a seamless experience for Unity developers. Developers who utilize the NextNav Pinnacle SDK can integrate it into any application built with the Unity engine.
In June, NextNav entered into a definitive merger agreement with Spartacus Acquisition Corporation (NASDAQ: TMTS, TMTSW, and TMTSU) (“Spartacus”) in a transaction that would result in NextNav being listed on the Nasdaq. The transaction is expected to close late in the third quarter of 2021 or early in the fourth quarter of 2021, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
About NextNav
NextNav provides next generation GPS. NextNav Pinnacle uses highly accurate vertical positioning to transform location services so they reflect the 3D world around us. Our revolutionary TerraPoiNT system keeps critical infrastructure resilient with reliable Position, Navigation and Timing services in the absence of GPS. With carrier-grade dependability and a rapidly expanding nationwide service footprint, NextNav is driving a whole new ecosystem for geolocation applications and services.
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NextNav@launchsquad.com
A graphic accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/652e31cd-24a6-469a-83a2-3e015e30cc3a
