Google’s location-based game Ingress has finally hit the big leagues, with it finally losing the beta tag. The update comes after a big week in which the Ingress game held a huge event — dubbed Operation #13MAGNUS — bringing with it the removal of the invite-only ecosystem which persisted during the beta.
Niantic Labs, a skunkworks division in San Francisco and Mountain View, Calif., created the Ingress game that pits two factions against each other, the Enlightened and the Resistance. These two factions do battle in an augmented reality environment, where through the use of mobile devices users — or agents as they’re referred to in-game — compete to capture portals, build control fields and aim for control of the world’s citizens’ minds. It’s a seriously huge game, and Ingress has demonstrated just what can be done with a capable system and a compelling game platform, bringing in participants from more than 200 countries. Many Ausdroid writers are avid players of Ingress as well, and to find out more about the game, check our wrap from earlier this year here.
The latest update does also bring some a few tweaks and changes to the game. The update includes updated OPS tab design, support for the Founder’s medal along with some general performance tweaks.
Now with Ingress fully open to the public to download and enjoy, we hope to begin to see more updates and features which could well be on the way in future.
Have you downloaded Ingress? What do you like about the game? What updates would you like to see in future? we would like to hear your thoughts in the comments below
I’ve used the game as a simple excuse to get some exercise.
I just spent a lunch hour (probably longer than I ought) wandering around Richmond, knocking down Smurf portals, picking up Portal Keys, making nice green glowing triangles.
Good for the legs and the blood sugar.
Bumped into the Enemy a hour ago. The two of us Ingressing the same portal.
He won. 🙁
Easier to defend than attack.
At higher levels, MUCH easier to attack than defend …
Don’t be silly…. Join the Resistance!
Just make sure you join the Enlightened 🙂 There are regional (and national) Google+ communities for both factions and cross faction as well as hangouts to co-ordinate between players. If you ask on Ingress Comms someone will point you in the right direction. Make sure you take advantage of other players offering to help you level up, it will give you a great head start early in the game.
Don’t ask other to help you lvl up. It’s more fun by your self. Once outreach lvl 8 though you can join up with a team. find that it’s niybhard to reach lvl 6 and once you ate at level 6 there are plenty of portals that ate level 6 and lower anyway.