Buzz
Four years ago, Niantic, a little-known developer, launched Ingress, a location-based mobile game that set the foundation for their subsequent hit, Pokémon Go. While both games offer fun experiences that get you outside, they provide different kinds of enjoyment. Here's a look at how these two games from Niantic stack up against each other.
The Competition
Pokémon Go, like Ingress, is powered by the same data and created by the same developers, which explains their similarities. However, the major difference between the two is that Ingress has had nearly four years to evolve, while Pokémon Go has only been available for a short time. Comparing these two is more of a fun exercise and a way to observe how each can continue to grow and improve.
Pokémon Go (Free, iOS and Android): Ever since the release of the first Pokémon game in 1996, fans have longed to explore the world around them, catching Pokémon and battling them in real-world gyms. Pokémon Go makes this dream a reality. You can find Pokémon in your backyard, the park, or even in your office, and challenge them at gyms located all over the real world. The game focuses on the original 151 Pokémon to appeal to long-time fans and evoke nostalgia.
Ingress (Free, iOS and Android): While Pokémon Go challenges you to be the very best, Ingress encourages teamwork and collaboration. You’ll join one of two factions and work with a team, which includes players from all over the globe, to hack portals and form triangular fields. The team with the largest area covered wins. The game’s core mechanics are supported by a deep sci-fi mystery story that unfolds the more you play.
You can play both games at the same time, and surprisingly, it works quite well. Since Pokémon Go shares its location data with Ingress, you'll often notice that Pokémon gyms and PokéStops are also Ingress portals. If you're playing one game, you might encounter people immersed in the other. It's a cool connection that players can all appreciate. Like any strong friendship, there are a few things these games can take from each other.
Ingress Has a More Structured Community, While Pokémon Go Has a Larger One
Pokémon Go, on the other hand, is still in its early, chaotic phase. In my city, I’ve discovered multiple inclusive groups, alongside several smaller, split-off factions for each of Pokémon Go's three teams. These will eventually stabilize, but at the moment, connecting with other players in your area will be more challenging. The lack of an in-game chat feature only adds to this difficulty, leaving you to rely on word-of-mouth or knowing someone personally who plays the game to find organized groups nearby.
This is where Pokémon Go truly shines. The game benefits from a surge in popularity, extensive media coverage, and constant chatter on social media, making it incredibly easy to find others who are playing. Even though the community might not be well-organized, there will always be plenty of people to join in with for a long time.
Pokémon Go Offers More Activities, but Ingress Excels at Finding Them
Pokémon Go’s lack of social features isn't a major issue because finding something to do is never a problem. Just step outside your house and you'll encounter Pokémon to catch. You can advance through the early levels by simply capturing wild Pokémon. While rural areas may have lower spawn rates, you don't need to be at a specific location to find new Pokémon. You can even use items like incense to attract Pokémon to your location. In theory, you'll always find something to catch, no matter where you are.
For those not living in urban areas, finding Poké Stops is one of the biggest challenges. These locations provide essential resources like Pokéballs. While it's possible to purchase additional resources with real money, it's a harsh disadvantage for those not living in the city. Fortunately, Poké Stops are relatively common, but the game offers little way to locate them without physically exploring the area.
On the other hand, Ingress doesn't provide much to do if you're not near a portal. You can collect XM, a resource necessary for actions like attacking portals, but most portals already have large amounts of XM nearby. The benefit is that it encourages you to get outside more, but the downside is that if you're not near a portal or you live outside the city, you'll quickly run out of things to do.
To address this issue, Ingress has a Missions tab where you can find pre-made adventures to explore your surroundings. For example, in my area, there are missions to visit portals at a nearby Six Flags, a historical tour downtown, and a path through a cemetery’s memorials. Completing these missions rewards you with badges and achievements for your profile. If you prefer creating your own adventure, you can use the Intel Map. This tool helps you discover nearby portals and their levels, allowing you to plan your trips to make the most of your outings.
Additionally, because Ingress’s community is so organized and established, players take part in global events like the quarterly “anomalies,” monthly “first saturdays,” and occasional “mission days,” hosted by Niantic in major cities worldwide. On these special days, players travel from all over to gather in cities such as Brooklyn, Tokyo, Shanghai, Lima, and more, to compete for their factions and enjoy a cross-faction party once the event ends.
Ideally, Pokémon Go would gradually incorporate some of these features over time. Pre-made quests would offer great adventures for Pokémon trainers. In the meantime, though, you can still make use of the Ingress tools for both games. Since Niantic uses much of the same location data across both games, if you find a portal on the Intel Map, there's a good chance there's also a Poké Stop or gym at that spot.
Both Games Face a Level Cap Issue, but Pokémon Go’s Is Less Severe
In any online game, there's always a gap between low-level and high-level players. Those who play just once a week can never keep up with those who spend hours playing each day. In some ways, that’s fine! Both games focus on cooperative play, so low-level players can still be rewarded for teaming up with higher-level players, while the experienced ones can assist newcomers. The downside is, though, that it can be tough to keep up with the top players.
In Ingress, portals are protected by objects known as ‘resonators.’ Higher-level players can place resonators on their portals, making them nearly impossible for low-level players to destroy. Experience can be earned slowly by hacking enemy portals, but the big gains come from capturing portals, destroying enemy ones, and linking them together. If you're low-level and don’t have high-level friends to help, it can be a long grind to level up. This is where strong, organized communities come in. You need a good team to take down portals, build fields, farm for items, and advance through the levels quickly. Once you hit level eight in Ingress (out of a level cap of 16), you're essentially set, and the motivation to keep leveling slows down. Once you reach the level cap... there’s not much left to do except what you've already been doing.
Pokémon Go faces a similar issue, but on a much smaller scale. Catching Pokémon allows you to level up, providing plenty of tasks to grind through to increase your level. You can join a faction (Valor, Mystic, or Instinct) at level five, but gyms are often filled with seasoned Pokémon that beginners struggle to defeat. Much like Ingress portals, gyms are intended to be attacked by teams, or at least by higher-level players. However, gyms aren’t the only way to level up.
For players who prefer occasional collaboration, Pokémon Go is perfect. While writing this, I took a walk to a few nearby Poké Stops and portals. On the way, I caught five Pokémon and gathered some resources. Although I couldn't take on the nearby gym due to its high level, I was still able to engage in activities. On the other hand, in Ingress, I was limited to hacking a few nearby portals for a small amount of experience. While I was restricted in both games, the balance issues in Ingress felt much more frustrating.
Ingress Is For the Dedicated, Pokémon Go Is For Everyone
Ingress holds a special place for me since I've been playing it (off and on) for the entire four years since its release. I see its influence all over Pokémon Go, and it excites me knowing that players of the new game will experience something similar to what I’ve enjoyed. Whether you’re capturing portals or Pokémon, any game that encourages you to get outside and socialize is a winner in my eyes.
That said, despite its improvements, Ingress still has a higher entry barrier. The requirement to be near portals and the slow leveling without a team are significant drawbacks. The cooperative aspect of creating art from portal fields or attending live events is incredibly fun, but new players might struggle, especially given how advanced the game has become.
Pokémon Go, however, is so accessible that even kids can enjoy it with their parents. You can participate as much or as little as you want, and the game won’t hold you back. Whether you want to grind until you've conquered every gym in your town or simply catch a few Pokémon on your daily walk, the choice is yours. Hopefully, Niantic will introduce some of the same quest tools or social features from Ingress, but it's still early days. If Ingress is any indication, Pokémon Go will only improve as time goes on.
