Following the success of Pokémon Go a couple of years ago, Nintendo is partnering again with Niantic to develop a new mobile AR game/app based on another of its iconic franchise: Pikmin. The app is said to feature "gameplay activities to encourage walking and make walking more delightful". More details will be revealed "in the coming months".

The announcement also suggests that more apps based on Nintendo's characters is in the works as it mentions that the Pikmin app is to "kick off the partnership" during which they will "jointly develop mobile titles". But only this specific app has been announced for now.

The Pikmin AR app is slated to release later this year and is being developed by Niantic's Tokyo Studio, and this will be its first title since it was established in April 2018. Those interested can already pre-register here.

SOURCE

 

[Hanafuda]

Honestly these companies should wait for AR tech to get better before releasing these games...

No!!! Dollars Now!!!

Yamauchi and Iwata must be scraping at the insides of their coffins* over what Nintendo is becoming.




* not really. I'm sure they were cremated.

 

[Julie_Pilgrim]

not really. I'm sure they were cremated

They must be rolling in their vases

 

[Hanafuda]

They must be rolling in their vases

Turning in their urns.

 

[Julie_Pilgrim]

Turning in their urns.

*ba-dum-tsss*

 

[AJarOfMayo]

okay, what the hell is even going on at nintendo anymore
mario's gonna die at the end of the month
not to mention the whole #freemelee mess
they've done next to nothing with the switch since it's launch
and now they're making another mobile game that's most likely gonna die in a week about an ip that is fairly unknown?

covid has really made them insane, huh

 

[Edgarska]

okay, what the hell is even going on at nintendo anymore
mario's gonna die at the end of the month
not to mention the whole #freemelee mess
they've done next to nothing with the switch since it's launch
and now they're making another mobile game that's most likely gonna die in a week about an ip that is fairly unknown?

covid has really made them insane, huh

I wouldn't call an IP that has a smash fighter and a stage "unknown". The port of the Wii U game even sold 2 million copies, which doesn't sound like much these days but it's still impressive for an "unknown" IP

 

[Lazyt]

gameplay is probably going to be good..but the game is going to fail within one year, there is just too much geolocation games. and there is no reason why star-making another one. I bet they would use completely same pokéstops layout

 

[HarveyHouston]

Pikmin! Don't get squashed by cars chasing them.

 

[banjo2]

I wouldn't call an IP that has a smash fighter and a stage "unknown". The port of the Wii U game even sold 2 million copies, which doesn't sound like much these days but it's still impressive for an "unknown" IP

Actually it has two stages, Distant Planet and Garden of Hope iirc

 

[Jayro]

OH MY GOD A PIKMIN AR MOBILE APP SOUNDS GREAT
Reality: This game is horrible!

That's because Niantic touched it. They ruined Pokemon GO in my opinion.

 

[Deleted member 546149]

That's because Niantic touched it. They ruined Pokemon GO in my opinion.

Even if they didn't, the game will go out terribly. Sounds good, but in reality will fail

 

[Ampersound]

You just know that they won't deliver a fun game. There will be some bs again, some bs way to spend cash. Maybe barely even being a pikmin game because core features are missing. No no, i stay out of mobile games.

 

[BlazeMasterBM]

Pikmin: Microtransactions

 

[Julie_Pilgrim]

ip that is fairly unknown

Insult pikmin like this again and we gonna have some problems

 

[Jayro]

Insult pikmin like this again and we gonna have some problems

He's right though, it's got a very small userbase. It's incredibly niche.

 

[Julie_Pilgrim]

He's right though, it's got a very small userbase. It's incredibly niche.

LET ME BELIEVE

 

[AJarOfMayo]

Insult pikmin like this again and we gonna have some problems

I SAID FAIRLY UNKNOWN, NOT ENTIRELY

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

I wouldn't call an IP that has a smash fighter and a stage "unknown". The port of the Wii U game even sold 2 million copies, which doesn't sound like much these days but it's still impressive for an "unknown" IP

Well, that's what I was trying to say by "fairly" unknown. Hell, I love the first game in the series, I wasn't trying to insult it at all, but I'm sure there's at least a decent chunk of Nintendo fans that don't really know what Pikmin is.

 

[raxadian]

This is gonna be a disaster,;the franchise s nowhere near as popular as Mario Kart or Pokemon.

If freaking Minecraft failed at AR this has no chance outside a niche market like maybe Japan.

 

[MetallicKaiser]

I can't imagine this game being very popular, but if you had to pick a series for AR, Pikmin seems like a solid choice thematically. That said, I have a feeling it isn't going to go too hard on actual pikmin mechanics given it's supposedly created to "encourage walking."

Edit: Then again, I guess that's AR games in general?

 

[Dr_Faustus]

I wouldn't call an IP that has a smash fighter and a stage "unknown". The port of the Wii U game even sold 2 million copies, which doesn't sound like much these days but it's still impressive for an "unknown" IP

To be fair if you mention things such as Fire Emblem, Mother/Earthbound, or hell even Persona to a regular gamer who plays Smash, they probably do not know where they are from either. You are either iconic or niche, and Pikmin is definitely niche.

That also said there is nothing wrong with being a niche IP. I love a lot of niche stuff. I find that its in poor choice to leave it to Niantic however. I have had a lot of history with that company, and chances are they will stumble on the release of this too if it releases at all that is..