There’s no denying the impact Niantic Labs has had on the mobile gaming industry, specifically when it comes to the topic of AR. Ever since the launch of Pokémon GO in 2016, Niantic has been a driving force when it comes to AR in mobile gaming, even adding some semblance of it to their follow up to Pokémon GO, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. Recently, Niantic announced that they are deepening their partnership with Nintendo by releasing an AR-based game based on Pikmin.
Pikmin, first released on the Nintendo GameCube back in 2001, is an adventure/puzzle game in which player controls an alien named Captain Olimar who crash lands on a distant planet. Olimar enlists the help of the planet’s native species, a sentient plant life-form called pikmin, to help him gather the parts of his ship so he can get home. The pikmin come in different colors, with each color having its own special ability that must be used to solve the puzzles of the alien world. The game became an almost instant hit, launching multiple sequels and earning Olimar a place in later entries of the Super Smash Bros. series.
The game will have the honor of being the first project developed by Niantic Tokyo Studio, an offshoot of Niantic Labs created in 2018. Niantic CEO said of the project: “As we continue to expand our games portfolio, it was a natural next step to team up with Nintendo. We’re looking forward to shaping the future of AR together, bringing Nintendo’s beloved game characters to life for mobile game players around the world.”
Nintendo’s Representative Director (and creator of Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda) Shigeru Miyamoto also expressed enthusiasm for the new game:
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.
Not much is known about the gameplay yet, but it is expected to release globally in late 2021. Those interested in receiving updates on the game’s status can sign up on Niantic’s website.
