Pokemon Go developers announce new mobile game Harry Potter: Wizards Unite

The developers of the massively successful game Pokemon Go are releasing a new Harry Potter-themed follow-up.

Niantic Labs has confirmed the new title will be called Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, and will be developed in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive and its new brand Portkey Games studio, which will work on multiple Potter games across mobile and consoles.

An exact release date has not been confirmed, but it will be out sometime in 2018.

Much like Pokemon Go, the game will use augmented reality to turn the world around us into the world of Harry, Hermione, the bloke from Cracker and the rest of the gang.

Exact gameplay details are scarce, but it is likely to follow the Go format which required players to interact with real locations and nearby players.

"With Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, players that have been dreaming of becoming real life Wizards will finally get the chance to experience J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World," read a statement.

"Players will learn spells, explore their real world neighbourhoods and cities to discover & fight legendary beasts and team up with others to take down powerful enemies."

Pokemon Go has been an enormous hit for Niantic Labs. As of June the app had been downloaded 752 million times and generated $1.2 billion in revenue through microtransactions. In the game, players catch Pokémon that appear on a real-world map, while interacting with gyms pinned to real world places.

The game has continued to grow since its release, with the addition of new Pokémon, special themed events, and raids - allowing players to team-up to take down and potentially catch powerful Pokémon, including rare legendaries.

Last year Niantic denied reports that a Harry Potter game was in the works – dashing the hopes of the boy wizard's fanbase - but it appears now they simply weren't ready to divulge details regarding the project.