“Pokemon Go” Creator Niantic to Release New AR Pet Game “Peridot” in May

Niantic, the developer of popular AR games Pokemon Go and Pikmin Bloom, has officially announced the release of its new augmented reality game called Peridot, which launches on May 9 for both iOS and Android platforms. Peridot’s theme resembles the popular virtual pet game from the 2000s, Tamagotchi.

“An upcoming real-world adventure pet game where you care for one-of-a-kind adorable creatures, raise them to adulthood as you explore the world together, and re-diversify their species,” the game’s description reads.

The company wrote that each virtual pet, Peridot, is genetically unique, inheriting a combination of genes from their parents that can result in a wide range of physical features, such as blue or black coloration, metallic sheen, fur, goat-like horns, large ears, bushy tails, and countless more. Some of these characteristics have been identified by the team as “Archetypes,” including designations like “Unicorn” and “Clownfish.” However, it’s up to the Keepers to collaborate to cross-breed their Peridots and unlock the full range of possible combinations of surreal virtual pets.

Peridot motivates players to take their pets for real-life walks to collect items, explore new locations, and capture pictures. The game is synced with the Health app, enabling players to accumulate walking distance even when the app is not active.