How Geospatial AI Turns Every Street Into A Story

Imagine a world where the sidewalk isn’t just concrete, but a stage. Imagine a park where the wind carries the digital echoes of an unfolding story, and the city skyline isn’t just a view, but the interface for shared imagination.

At Niantic Spatial, we aren’t just building another map; we are building a Large Geospatial Model powered by artificial intelligence that understands the physical world, a living model that bridges the gap between how people and machines perceive and interact with reality. For 25 years, we have mapped the planet’s heartbeat, proving to hundreds of millions that the most powerful platform for human imagination isn't a six-inch screen. It is the world itself.

When Paramount Pictures sought to reintroduce the world to the high-stakes reality of The Running Man, they posed the question: how can we make the audience feel the thrill of the hunt? Their goal was to find a fun, innovative approach to IP promotion that felt as bold as the film itself.

The Operation: From Watching the Hunt to Joining It

Paramount found its solution in Ingress, the most formidable example of real-world storytelling at global scale. As Niantic Spatial’s 13-year trailblazer, Ingress served as a validated living spatial interface of the world that could be instantly transformed to the film’s narrative. It provided a ready-made audience of tech-visionaries and sci-fi enthusiasts who already view the world as a canvas for something more.

Rather than just place an ad in the game, we invited players to explore the world through the lens of the film. We orchestrated a two-part narrative arc:

Act I: The Theatrical Pulse

To support the theatrical premiere, we activated a city-wide walking mission as well as a dedicated community event in Los Angeles, guiding players to physical locations that mirrored the film’s narrative. Globally, across various real world landmarks, we deployed special media drops, collectible in-game artifacts, turning trailers and lore into a discovery-based experience.

Act II: The Global Broadcast

As the film moved to home entertainment platforms, players around the world were encouraged to submit their "audition" for the film. Did they have what it took to survive? We tested their prowess and determination with a global-scale quest including tasks from trekking to territory capture.

During this multi-phased campaign we took a passive audience and turned them into active participants. We didn’t show people The Running Man; we gave them the high-stakes thrill of being the runner.

The Results: Moving the Needle (and the Audience)

The outcome confirms that when story is layered onto the physical world, audience engagement transforms into measurable action. During the campaign:

• Over 125,000 highly engaged explorers enjoyed The Running Man quest globally

• Active Ingress users saw a daily average increase of 8.5%

• The Running Man content achieved more than 1,500,000 total impressions in the game

• Agents moved approximately 2,000,000 kilometers

• Agents collected over $650,000 value of in-game rewards

The Running Man collaboration serves as a powerful illustration of the potential for Immersive Entertainment. It demonstrates that Niantic Spatial has the technology to help partners take their unique stories and weave them into the fabric of our daily lives.

As we continue to build a world where machines can talk to the places we love, we invite you to imagine: What story will your neighborhood tell tomorrow?

The stage is set. The world is the canvas. Now it’s your turn to create.

About Ingress

Ingress is worldwide, team-based, geomobile territory control. Jump in, explore your local Portals, and help shape the future of the map by submitting 3D scans of existing Portals. Every scan adds depth, meaning, and possibility to the places you know best, powering our Large Geospatial Model that helps machines understand the real world.

Play Ingress. Scan your world. Help tell its story.