During the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco today, a partnership was announced that could lead to some seriously impressive titles in the future. Chipmaker Qualcomm is teaming up with Square Enix to create new Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality gaming experiences, though what gamers can expect isn’t exactly clear quite yet.
Qualcomm isn’t new to the gaming space, announcing an Android-powered handheld gaming console back in March 2021. The company’s Snapdragon chipsets have been invaluable additions to modern mobile devices, and it looks like that technology might be put to use in different ways going forward.
The Snapdragon Spaces XR Developer Platform, a software tool kit allowing creators to make 3D applications for XR platforms, was released in late 2021.
“Square Enix has always been committed to state-of-the-art game technology to push storytelling boundaries, delivering unforgettable experiences for our fans,” said Ben Taylor, Technical Director at Square Enix. “We have been investing in XR and look forward to building on Snapdragon Spaces. In particular, we think the time is right with XR to innovate on games of a classic genre we are especially known for, and we look forward to sharing them with the world to further our mission to help spread happiness across the globe.”
While it’s unclear which IP Square Enix intends to bring to AR, anything related to Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, or Tomb Raider is sure to do well. (Maybe it’s best to leave Babylon’s Fall behind). Previously, the Snapdragon Spaces platform has partnered with Oppo, Motorola, Xiaomi, Deutsche Telekom, and others.
Overall, Qualcomm is putting over $100 million into helping to create a metaverse. The money will be used to back developers and companies interested in creating XR experiences, with some of the funds being put towards AR and AI technologies.
“Through the Snapdragon Metaverse Fund, we look forward to empowering developers and companies of all sizes as they push boundaries of what’s possible as we enter into this new generation of spatial computing,” said Qualcomm President and CEO Cristiano Amon.