Ingress beta open to all: Google's game sticks with Android

This week the folks at Google and Niantic have released their cages from the "closed beta" edition of Ingress to allow this augmented reality game to all. The game remains in "beta" mode, though we're essentially seeing the entirety of this environment's gameplay live right this minute. This game will be available to iOS users in the future, but for the time being – it's all about Android.

The big draw with this game is partially in how it's been closed off as an exclusive title until now – but there's also the fact that you're playing on a real landscape, using Google Maps to see where you need to go to take over your neighborhood. At the moment the Android restriction for this game stands. Google has promised an iOS version of the game in the future, but it may be in the wings until early 2014 – not that long off.

This game was promoted several times in a big way over the past several months. We saw invites handed out to all developers at the 2013 edition of Google I/O. Google also pushed the game in all boxes of DROID devices with Verizon – you'll still find invite codes in packaging for the DROID Ultra, DROID Maxx, and DROID Mini here well after the beta has gone public.

This game will be growing in an awfully strange manner due to its geographically-set gameplay. You'll find your game taking place in a unique manner in your corner of the earth, while friends of yours halfway across the planet will be playing there. Your goal is to grab what's called "XM" and play "keep away" from your enemies – there are two sides to this war: go forth and choose!

VIA: Android Community