After Pokémon and Palworld, a new license lets you breed and battle creatures with special powers. Discover Aniimo, a brand-new game presented at Summer Game Fest 2025. Developed by South Korean studio Pawprint, this open-world action-RPG is due for release in 2026 on PC, consoles and mobile.
As with Pokémon, the aim of this free-to-play game is to capture, evolve and battle creatures endowed with different powers. Players explore this new world in search of the Aniimo, and face off against other "Pathfinders" in real-time (not turn-based) battles.
" Welcome to Aniimo, the new free-to-play next-gen open-world creature-capture game coming to console, PC and mobile in 2026! Your adventure begins when you meet your very first Aniimo in Idyll, a vast, lively and interactive open world. There, you can collect these magical creatures, evolve them and forge unique bonds with them. Get ready to explore unfamiliar landscapes and mysterious dungeons, face real-time enemies in both PvE and PvP, solve ancient riddles and take control of a truly dynamic gaming experience."
This trailer reveals an enchanting island, and equally cute creatures . The first Aniimo shown resemble dogs, sheep, otters, dragons, hamsters and slightly modified crabs. The graphics are more realistic than Pokémon, the benchmark of the genre, but remain whimsical: the emphasis is on the kawaii side of this universe and these adorable little monsters.
According to these initial images, it appears that players can truly connect with their Aniimo, harnessing its powers when needed for activities like flying, swimming, or speeding up their run. The trailer also reveals that the creatures evolve in three stages and are categorized into different types, such as Water, Fire, and Plant...
This world is made up of vastly different environments, each featuring natural ecosystems designed to host the diverse array of Aniimo. Whether it's grasslands, snow-capped mountains, beaches, or forests... plus campsites with caravans and human-built structures, where Aniimos engage playfully with their Scout Partners.
The trailer unveiled at the Game Awards reveals an intriguing detail: in the final seconds, viewers catch a glimpse of an Aniimo that appears somewhat mystical. Could this be the "legendary" version of these creatures?
This brand-new license could be of interest to many gamers. We look forward to finding out more.
