Pokémon Go and Entrance developer Niantic is working with Nintendo on new programs that will combine augmented reality (AR) technology and Nintendo’s character traits. The first game to be part of the partnership is an AR game based on Pikmin.
Nintendo said in a news release on Monday that Niantic’s approach to Pikmin would include a game that “would encourage walking and make the activity more enjoyable.” The app will be launched in 2021. It is developed by the studio of Niantic in Tokyo, which was founded in 2018.
“As we continue to expand our gaming portfolio, it was a natural next step to work with Nintendo,” Niantic CEO John Hanke said in a news release. “We look forward to shaping the future of AR together and bringing Nintendo’s beloved game characters to life for mobile gaming players around the world.”
“Niantic’s AR technology has made it possible for us to experience the world as if Pikmin were secretly living around us,” added Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto. ‘Based on the theme of fun, our mission is to offer people a new experience that is different from traditional games. We hope the Pikmin and this app will become a partner in your life. ”
This is the 20th anniversary of the Pikmin franchise, which was launched on Nintendo’s GameCube in late 2001. Nintendo has been released again Pikmin 3, originally a Wii U game, for Nintendo Switch in the fall of 2020 as Pikmin 3 Deluxe.
Niantic has achieved incredible success with the launch of Pokémon Go in 2016, which built on the business Entrance AR gaming platform. The company has launched a new AR game based on the Harry Potter IP, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, in 2019, and develop or develop titles based on the Catan board games and a companion for Pokémon Go called Pokemon sleep.
Nintendo has been experimenting with mobile games for the past few years, with varying levels of success. The company’s mobile leads contain Super Mario Run, Animal crossing: pocket camp, Fire Emblem Heroes, Mario Kart Tour, Dr Mario World, en Dragalia lost.