Pokemon Go-style Walking Dead mobile game swaps augmented reality Zubats for zombies

A mobile game based on The Walking Dead is aiming to bring the TV shows' hordes of undead back to life, Pokémon Go-style.

The Walking Dead: Our World switches out the colourful creatures of Niantic's smash hit for legions of flesh-hungry zombies, with post-apocalyptic streets and buildings standing in for real-world landmarks using location data and augmented reality tech.

Set to launch on iPhone and Android devices, Our World is developed by Finnish developer Next Games which previously helmed AMC's Walking Dead-themed mobile title, No Man's Land. A release date has yet to be set for either platform.

"Fight walkers on the streets, in the park, on your sofa, wherever and whenever you want," reads a brief synopsis. "You won't need to face the apocalypse alone; Rick, Daryl, Michonne and all your favorite characters from AMC's The Walking Dead will fight by your side."

Our World is one of the headline augmented reality experiences for Apple's ARKit. The Cupertino giant hopes its AR-centric development kit will encourage more app-makers towards the nascent technology, with Apple and CEO Tim Cook repeatedly pushing augmented reality as the 'next big thing' for mobile.

As for the game itself, all we have to go on is a short teaser trailer (above), which is an exaggerated concept pitch rather than a look at the app proper. It's probably safe to assume that surviving battles against shambling walkers will be the main focus though.

"The fans love how the show encourages you to ask, 'What would I do in a zombie apocalypse?', and in this game we aim to let players explore this hypothetical in a way they've never experienced before," Next Games CEO Teemu Huuhtanen said in a statement. "AR enables players to live through the fight for survival in a whole new way in their familiar surroundings."