News
Niantic Is Working on ‘Pikmin’ Mobile Game
Credit: Unsplash
Despite not matching the initial hype, Pokémon GO has undeniably been a significant triumph for Nintendo, The Pokémon Company, and Niantic, the game’s main developer. Over the last five years, it has encouraged individuals to leave their residences and wander the streets in search of new creatures to capture, fostering novel encounters and bonds. Not an exaggeration; once, a friend and I encountered a group of strangers while playing, and we all ended up becoming friends. Now, having demonstrated the success of the Pokémon GO format, Niantic is ready to expand its horizons.
Yesterday, Kei Kawai, Niantic’s VP of Product Management, revealed on the company’s blog a fresh collaboration with Nintendo to create a new mobile gaming escapade centered on the Pikmin franchise. If you haven’t tried any of the three games in the series, Pikmin revolves around leading teams of small, plant-like entities known as Pikmin as they mend a spacecraft and navigate the enigmatic planet they inhabit.
“The application will incorporate interactive pursuits to promote walks and enhance the walking experience,” the publication stated. “Scheduled for release later this year, this will mark the inaugural title from our Tokyo Studio since its inception in April 2018.”
? 1/2 We are excited to unveil a fresh collaboration with Nintendo to devise mobile games leveraging @NianticLabs real-world AR platform, introducing Nintendo’s cherished characters in innovative ways. We are honored to be their sole associate for AR applications. https://t.co/Tzz8npCANj pic.twitter.com/R2AvE00nuN
— Megan Quinn (@msquinn) March 23, 2021
Similar to Pokémon GO, this novel mobile game will leverage AR camera technology to animate characters in the real world. Specifics are still elusive, so the precise nature of the game or the role of Pikmin in it remains uncertain, but it’s a safe assumption that it will be charming. Nintendo is poised to gain from this collaboration, given that Pokémon GO has raked in more than $1 billion in revenue from its emergence until 2020 (even amidst the pandemic).
