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.

During the Paris 2024 Games, fans from around the world gathered in specially created fan zones to share the excitement of the games and celebrate together. The Netherlands hosted their TeamNL House in the iconic Le Zenith concert hall in Paris, offering Dutch supporters a place to unite and to celebrate their top athletes during the event. To elevate this unique fan experience, Orb Amsterdam and Ocean Outdoor collaborated to create a stunning WebXR activation that brought the Dutch Olympic spirit to life on a monumental scale, powered by Niantic 8th Wall and Niantic VPS.

As developers, brands, and agencies finalize their holiday campaigns, we’re excited to announce a major update to our commercial license.  Starting today, September 4, 2024, commercial licenses for Niantic 8th Wall now start at just $700 per project per month—down from $3,000 per month. 

We hope this reduction makes launching commercial WebAR campaigns more accessible and enables you to create exceptional content for your clients.  Whether you’re planning a big holiday push or looking to explore more with WebAR, our latest pricing change is designed to help you and your clients experience the power of WebAR. 

What is changing?  

Our August update for Niantic Studio is here, and with it comes a suite of powerful new features for building immersive real-world experiences. In this release, we're excited to announce Gaussian splatting support in Niantic Studio, expanded tooling for 3D modeling and UI design, and comprehensive engagement analytics.

Rock in Rio, the legendary multi-day music festival, has been captivating audiences in Rio de Janeiro since 1985. As the festival prepares to kick off its 40th anniversary on September 13th, 2024, organizers have unveiled an extraordinary celebration that merges the past and present through the power of augmented reality. This year, Rock in Rio is transporting attendees back in time with an immersive WebAR experience powered by Niantic 8th Wall, transforming 40 locations across the vibrant streets of Rio into a real-world AR museum and interactive rock gallery