Summary

  • Aniimo is a visually-striking open world game with Pokemon-like creature collecting elements.
  • Features include battling, evolution, and a unique "Twining" ability for players to merge with their creatures.
  • Beta testing for PC players will be available this summer.

Fans of Pokemon and Palworld will definitely want to check out the new open world free-to-play game Aniimo. Aniimo was one of the big announcements at this year's Xbox Games Showcase, an event that was full of exciting reveals of games that are currently in development for PC and the Xbox family of consoles.

The Xbox Games Showcase included major reveals from huge publishers. It was announced that Obsidian Entertainment is working on Grounded 2 and that the survival game will be released in early access in just one month's time. Final Fantasy 16 was shadow dropped for Xbox, and it was confirmed that Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is making its way to the platform later this year. The show ended with Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 being revealed to the masses. But one of the more interesting reveals was for a cute monster-catching game in the vein of Pokemon and Palworld called Aniimo.

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Launching on PC, mobile, and Xbox Series X/S in 2026, Aniimo sees players collect and merge with Pokemon-like creatures called Aniimo. Players can utilize the unique abilities of their Aniimo to explore the game world and find new Aniimo to catch. Aniimo can be used in battles, and they can even evolve. Aniimo's "Twining" feature, which lets players merge with their creatures, is an interesting twist and should help it stand apart when compared to similar games. Those interested in the game should note that Aniimo will host a beta test later this summer for PC players.

Aniimo Trailer Has Serious Pokemon and Palworld Vibes

Out of all the new games shown at the Xbox Games Showcase, Aniimo was by far one of the most visually-striking. The trailer, created using a blend of in-game footage and cinematics, showed off a variety of the Aniimo that players will be able to catch in the game, as well as their evolved forms. Merging the creatures lets players take direct control of them in the open world, and it seems like it will be a lot of fun figuring out which Aniimo to use for each situation.

Of course, there is some concern that Nintendo may go after Aniimo like it did Palworld. Nintendo patents have forced Palworld to change some its gameplay mechanics, and time will tell if a similar fate will befall Aniimo. Time will tell, but in the meantime, what's been shown of Aniimo so far looks very impressive.