'Ingress' AR game coming to the iPhone in 2014

The Google game which turns the world around you into an interactive video game is finally crossing over from Android to iOS.

A-screen-shot-from-the-promotional-video-for-Ingress-Photo-AFP

The Google game which turns the world around you into an interactive video game is finally crossing over from Android to iOS.

The smartphone game, which has a heavy sci-fi background and forces all of its worldwide players to take one of two sides -- The Enlightened or The Resistance -- has been building in popularity since its beta launch back in November.

OK, it has only been activated one million times and it is estimated that at any one time it has 500,000 active players so it is not in a position to challenge 'Candy Crush Saga' or 'Angry Birds' in terms of popularity. But, unlike the other titles, 'Ingress' is an incredibly complex, massively multi-player game with a live, developing story, evolving tasks and challenges, and one which allows players to co-opt the world around them, claiming landmarks as prizes and turning them into portals and game play elements.

In an interview with All Things D, 'Ingress' product manager Brandon Badger confirmed that an iOS-compatible version is in development but that it won't be ready until some time in 2014.

Developed by Google's Niantic Labs unit, as well as being a slow-burning, addictive and immersive gaming experience, 'Ingress' is also a showcase of the search giant's local search data capabilities and of the possibilities available to developers to create geographic location-specific games, apps and services.