Developer Niantic just announced a new mobile game in the form of Peridot.Peridot is an augmented-reality based virtual pet game, in which players are encouraged to go out into the real world in order to bond with their pets. The game is enticing for fans of the virtual pet genre, but something about this new Niantic project seems all too familiar.
This is because Niantic is also responsible for Pokemon GO — a game based in augmented-reality, in which players collect and bond with hundreds of virtual creatures. While Peridot and Pokemon GO do have their niches, as based on Peridot's official website, Niantic's toughest competition is seemingly itself. Compared to Pokemon GO or not, Peridot will have to do a lot to stick out from the countless other mobile games on the market.
Perks Unique to Peridot
While players may instantly draw comparisons to Pokemon GO, Peridot is stated to have multiple unique features that will set it apart. For starters, all of Peridot's creatures are completely original, as well as unique from one another. Some will resemble real animals, so players will be inclined to hunt out their favorites. On top of this, players will be able to breed their unique species with another player's, creating an endless loop of creatures to discover and collect.
Other than breeding, the rest of Peridot's gameplay sounds like a more in-depth version of Pokemon GO's buddy feature. Players can go on walks with their creatures to collect items and take snapshots, and they can stop to play with their pets and even teach them some tricks. Overall, Peridot's focus is clearly on caring for collecting pets. This alone helps distinguish Peridot from its competitors, catering the game to a more general, virtual pet loving audience.
Pokemon GO's Success Extends Beyond Its Gameplay
While Peridot strives to be a Tamagotchi-like virtual pet game, Pokemon GO is first and foremost a Pokemon game. Pokemon GO allows pretty much every 90's kid to live out their dream of setting out to complete the Pokedex. Brand name and recognition alone are what allowed the game to become a cultural phenomenon back in 2016 — it was certainly not the buggy and bare-bones gameplay at the time.
Six years later, there is a ton more to do in Pokemon GO. Collecting every species of Pokemon is still an overarching goal, and, like Peridot, players can bond and adventure with their buddy. There are now battles, raids, encounters with Team GO Rocket — the list goes on. Even though the game is not as popular now as when it released, Pokemon GO has set many mobile gaming precedents. As such, any similar game will undoubtedly be measured up against it, especially when it is developed by the same company.
Peridot's Challenging Road Ahead
Peridot clearly has its work cut out for it in terms of succeeding on its own as a mobile game. It is a completely new IP, while its direct competitor, Pokemon GO, is based on the highest-grossing media franchise of all time. Niantic can use Peridot's originality to its advantage, offering players a wholly unique experience.
The seemingly infinite unique creatures in Peridot are a great step in this direction. While Pokemon GO may be limited to the creatures introduced in the series' mainline games, each and every Peridot player will have a pet to call their own. By contrast, no one Pokemon is truly unique — even the rarest shiny Pokemon are owned by many players. Unique traits like this will have players choose Peridot over its contemporaries.
The real worry with Peridot is in regard to its gameplay. Obviously, the game is not out yet, so it is impossible to truly grasp how it will play, but Peridot seems solely focused on having players raise their own virtual pet. This is great for players who just want that, but a lack of more game modes and things to do will result in a casual fanbase as opposed to the fervent one of Pokemon GO. Hopefully, Niantic has plenty more surprises in store for Peridot.
Starting a brand-new IP is an exciting route for Niantic to go with Peridot, as opposed to its recent games like Pokemon GO and Pikmin Bloom which come from well-known series. Peridot clearly has to impress in order to stand out from its competitors, but Niantic's success with the genre makes even this daunting task seem doable.
Peridot is now in development.