Niantic and Nintendo have announced a new partnership that will see the two developers jointly develop new augmented reality mobile titles based on various Nintendo franchises.
The first app that is being developed is based on the Pikmin franchise and will feature gameplay activities to encourage walking in a way that will combine elements from the Pikmin games and Niantic’s real-world AR technology.
“Niantic’s AR technology has made it possible for us to experience the world as if Pikmin are secretly living all around us”, Representative Director and legendary game designer for Nintendo Shigeru Miyamoto said. “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.”
This Pikmin title will be the first app developed inside of Niantic’s Tokyo Studio, which was established in April 2018. It is currently set to launch later this year, with more details to be announced in the coming months.
Niantic has released four games and currently supports three AR titles, Pokémon Go, Ingress Prime, and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. The company has several projects currently in development, and with this new Nintendo partnership, it has even more to that list.
“As we continue to expand our games portfolio, it was a natural next step to team up with Nintendo,” CEO of Niantic John Hanke said. “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.”
No details about other games being developed through this partnership were shared, but Niantic mentioned that the company was going to keep building on it, which means it is likely a long-term deal.
You can signup for news on the Pikmin AR game and other Niantic developed titles by visiting the Niantic Labs website.
