We created Shadow Nations, a first of its kind massively multiplayer location-based strategy game. Players used their mobile devices to create shadow territories that used Google Maps and augmented reality to create new worlds. The game removes device/platform restrictions by supporting cross-platform play. Shadow Nations’ features included trading, alliances, espionage, and a combat system where players wage war against each other.

Shadow Nations Storyboard

We hired Former Baldur’s Gate designer Joseph Sanabria to help us create a visual storyboard of how Shadow Nations would play out. The storyboard shows a player looking at his phone playing Shadow Nations. As we stand back, we see the player is in a busy area within his local city. Meanwhile, another player spots an intruder in her nation. Finally, the two players square off to battle via the app in the last scene.

Teaser Website

In order to gauge interest, we created a landing page. The landing page explained game concept and asked interested gamers to sign up for our early beta. The visual on our homepage represented a shadowy nation and captures the fog of war.

Mobile Game Prototype

We also built a working prototype where players could play our game. We built our game over Google Maps, allowing gamers to take over physical geographies and wage war, espionage, and diplomacy against other live players. Below is a screenshot of player nations facing off against each other.

Game Architecture

We planned to make our game platform cross-platform compatible. Beyond mobile devices, we wanted our game to be platform agnostic. So whether a player starts their gameplay on a mobile phone and switches to their personal computer later in the day, at home game would not skip a beat.