Pokémon Go was a hit when it came out, with players all over the world having a feel of what it’s like to be a “Pokémon Trainer”.
Not only was Pokémon Go the first-of-its-kind augmented reality (AR) game played by the masses, it encouraged many healthy habits like outdoor exploration, socializing, and walking/exercising.
However after its initial hype, game developer Niantic failed to make significant improvements to the game fast enough, resulting in many players gradually dropping out.
Pikmin AR made by Pokémon Go creators
This time around, Niantic together with Nintendo are taking another shot and the AR gaming space, with the planned release of a brand new game called Pikmin AR.
In short, Pikmin AR will be what Pokémon Go could have been, and probably even better.
While Pikmin AR will spot a very different gaming experience from Pokémon Go (players won’t go around catching Pokémon), it will have similar experiences such as “outdoor exploration, socializing, and walking”.
“Niantic’s AR technology has made it possible for us to experience the world as if Pikmin are secretly living all around us. Based on the theme of making walking fun, our mission is to provide people a new experience that’s different from traditional games. We hope that the Pikmin and this app will become a partner in your life.”
Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto. “
Pikmin AR is expected to launch later in 2021 as a downloadable app for both iOS and Android.