Update: As of Thursday 10/28/2021 the Pikmin Bloom app is available to download and use in North America.
Niantic, the creators behind the mobile hit Pokémon Go, announced that their next app will be rolling its release today, in select regions and others to launch soon. At this point it is unknown when the app will launch in North America, but be sure to check back for a future update. The new walking companion app, Pikmin Bloom, was made in partnership with Nintendo, including insight from series creator, Shigeru Miyamoto. A five minute launch trailer was released featuring Niantic’s founder and CEO, John Hanke, that detailed the goal of the app, to share the “power of walking”. The app will incentivize the user to find more Pikmin as they walk and explore more areas. The surprise announcement coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Pikmin series, which Mark Pereira detailed earlier today here.
The trailer hints at a community effort to fill the world with flowers by the more the player walks. Hints of step goals and player interactions are shown as many players briefly interact as they walk and explore their neighborhoods. An interactive map of the locations the user has visited will also be a tool used to show the progress of adding flowers and gaining Pikmin to your collection. Miyamoto san details other features of the app including photos with your Pikmin and adding notes to a journal. Some brief gameplay was shown as well which included Miis making an appearance while the app is in use.
What do you think of the next mobile adventure made by Niantic and Nintendo? Will this even scratch the surface of the success that Pokémon Go created back in 2016? I feel I am in the minority of people that did not participate in the Pokémon Go craze that is eagerly awaiting the release of Pikmin Bloom in my region. Will you be downloading the walking companion app when it is available on the App Store or Google Play? Let us know in the comments below or join our Discord and chat about more than just gaming.
Sources: Pikmin Bloom YouTube. Image source: Eurogamer
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