Camilo Medina is a skilled developer who began his journey with Niantic 8th Wall in July 2023 at the Niantic Developer World Tour in Paris. Immediately captivated by 8th Wall’s cross-platform capabilities, Camilo found the platform’s tools perfect for creating and deploying immersive AR experiences. With expertise in game design, coding, and marketing, Camilo brings a dynamic skill set to his projects. His passion for coding—particularly in developing mechanics that make digital objects interactive in real-world settings—is evident in his innovative AR work. We spoke with Camilo about his journey with Niantic Studio, recent projects, and his vision for the future of AR.

We’re excited to announce the launch of two powerful new features—backend proxies and backend functions—as the first of our Backend Services in Niantic Studio. These tools bring new capabilities to Niantic Studio, equipping developers to handle backend logic and integrate external services directly into their WebAR and web games. Integrating Backend Services is  a key milestone in expanding the flexibility and power of Niantic Studio, opening the door to more complex, secure, and dynamic AR applications.

Backend functions: Enabling secure and sophisticated web game logic 
Backend functions allow you to write server-side logic that integrates seamlessly with client-side code. This unlocks new possibilities for adding advanced, secure game mechanics to WebXR applications, such as anti-cheat to ensure fair play. 

In our Hangman-inspired sample project, backend functions store the words and the game logic on the backend, while the client handles and tracks player stats like current progress on the word and letters already guessed. With each request to the server, these states are securely stored and updated in real time, demonstrating how backend functions can manage core game components and maintain data integrity between the client and the server. This server-side processing means anti-cheat systems can be implemented, preventing players from tampering with the game data stored locally in their browser. 

We’re excited to announce the Niantic Studio Real-World Gaming Challenge, a brand-new opportunity for developers to create immersive, real-world games using Niantic Studio’s cutting-edge tools. Running from October 24th to December 9th, this challenge invites developers to push the boundaries of location-based gaming with the help of Gaussian splats and Niantic VPS technology. With a $15,000 prize pool up for grabs, this challenge is the perfect stage for you to showcase your creativity and technical expertise.

This challenge will ask you to build with either Gaussian splats or Niantic VPS in Niantic Studio. Niantic VPS allows you to anchor AR content with centimeter-level precision across 600,000+ VPS-activated locations worldwide. With Niantic Scaniverse, you can also scan and activate custom locations, bringing your AR creations to life in real-world environments.

With VPS and Studio’s web gaming engine, you can now take your AR experiences further by:

• Adding dynamic elements like animation, lighting, and physics 
• Creating persistent experiences that evolve as users return to the same location 
• Build real-time interactive gameplay that responds to a user’s environment 

We're excited to announce that Niantic VPS for Web is now fully integrated into Niantic Studio, giving developers a powerful new way to build, test, and deploy location-based WebAR experiences with unmatched precision. This update combines the power of the Niantic Visual Positioning System (VPS) with Niantic Studio’s intuitive visual interface, making creating WebAR content that seamlessly interacts with the digital world easier than ever. 

We are thrilled to present the Niantic Studio Create & Play Developer Challenge winners—a celebration of innovation, creativity, and community engagement. Over the past few months, developers across the globe have shown their incredible talent and passion for building immersive and fun web gaming experiences using Niantic Studio. With a wide range of submissions, from face-tracking rhythm games to location-based XR experiences to splatified adventures, participants pushed the boundaries of what's with Niantic Studio’s WebXR and 3D Web tools.

The Create & Play Challenge was designed to empower developers to express their creativity and bring unique gaming experiences to life, leveraging the diverse capabilities of Niantic Studio. Participants were equipped with a wealth of resources through our challenge programming sessions. We hosted workshops and deep dives, providing hands-on support to help developers bring their projects to life. 

Let’s take a closer look at the standout projects that have captured the judges' attention and showcased the limitless potential of our platform.

As we continue in the Niantic Studio beta, we want to make it easier for developers to build innovative WebXR and 3D web experiences. That’s why we’re excited to introduce five new sample projects designed to help you jump-start your next creation! Whether you’re experimenting with splats, building a fun face filter, or integrating external APIs, these projects are great starting points for anyone eager to explore what’s possible with Niantic Studio. Use these sample projects as a starting point, then clone or remix them to make them entirely your own! 

In addition to cloning these sample projects, you can easily take elements from each one—whether it’s a component, custom shader, or script—and incorporate them into their own experiences. By copying and editing the provided components, you can quickly build out unique interactions and bring your own ideas to life in Niantic Studio. Feel free to mix and match, customize, and experiment to create something truly your own.

Niantic Studio’s public beta keeps getting better as we continue to roll out new features and improvements. With our September updates, we’re excited to introduce expanded 2D UI support, the addition of FBX and TTF file support, and enhanced asset control editing for complex 3D objects. These updates give you more control, flexibility and ease when building in Niantic Studio, no matter your experience level. 

Optimized 2D UI editing for mobile and headset experiences 
This month’s key highlight is our enhanced support for building and refining 2D elements. Now, you have more granular control over how user interfaces are configured and optimized for mobile and headset experiences, with the ability to place 2D elements—like buttons, images, and text—precisely in both 3D space and absolute space. This flexibility allows for more versatile UI layouts and better adaptation across different devices.

In the new 2D UI builder, you can fine-tune elements such as color, borders, text, opacity, and more. The builder also allows you to combine multiple 2D elements on a single canvas to create compound 2D graphics and interfaces. For even greater efficiency, you can now edit and modify these elements in real-time within the Studio Viewport, with changes instantly reflected in the Simulator.

At Niantic, we believe in the power of creativity and the potential of immersive technology to transform the way we interact with the world around us. Our platform, Niantic 8th Wall, has been at the forefront of WebXR development, empowering developers and creators to build extraordinary augmented reality experiences that blend the physical and digital worlds. With our recent launch of Niantic Studio, our intuitive visual editor for WebXR and 3D content creation, we’ve made it easier than ever for developers to bring their ideas to life.

In our recent workshop, we walked through how to use Niantic Studio to bring in a Gaussian Splat from Scaniverse and build a game on top of it. Watch the recap video or read this step-by-step guide to learn how to import a splat, add physics colliders, animate a car, and configure camera movements—all essential skills for creating interactive, real-world experiences. Follow along to build your own game using these powerful tools.

Marley Kanui is a talented Senior WebXR Developer at Groove Jones who has been leveraging Niantic 8th Wall to create standout AR experiences since 2021. With a strong background in WebGL, Three.js, React, and more, Marley is known for his focus on optimization and seamless integration to create smooth, engaging AR experiences. Marley’s expertise and innovative approach continue to push the boundaries of what's possible in AR development as shown in his work on the Hope for Haiti project to build an interactive experience aimed at raising funds for a non-profit.

We caught up with Marley to discuss his experience with 8th Wall, his recent projects at Groove Jones, and his thoughts on the future of AR development.