New Free-to-Play Creature-Catching RPG Aniimo Launches Today on PC and Consoles

Pawprint Studio has officially released Aniimo, an ambitious free-to-play open-world creature-catching role-playing game. The global launch brings the title to PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X&S, and Xbox Cloud Gaming. Servers in the Americas opened on September 15 at 7 PM PT ahead of the September 16 global release. Versions for iOS and Android are scheduled to follow on September 23, with cross-platform progress supported for players remaining on the same regional server.

Set in a large open world known as Idyll, the game tasks players with acting as Pathfinders who capture, train, evolve, and fight alongside creatures called Aniimo. The title incorporates a defining gameplay mechanic known as Twining. This system allows a Pathfinder to temporarily transform into an Aniimo to access unique movement abilities, senses, attacks, and environmental interactions. According to developers, the creatures are designed to function as an ecosystem with families, behaviors, and relationships rather than static collectible units.

The launch version also includes robust multiplayer systems. Players can explore Idyll together, battle wild Aniimo, team up against powerful Alpha creatures, and participate in activities such as Operation: Egg Heist. Additionally, players receive a customizable RV and Home area featuring farming, construction, decorations, and resident Aniimo.

Pre-launch beta tests produced sharply divided impressions among players. While many praised the colorful environments, scale, and cooperative exploration, critics raised concerns over technical polish and familiar gacha progression structures. Some reviewers noted that the title draws heavy comparisons to games like Pokémon, Genshin Impact, Palworld, and The Legend of Zelda.

In response to community feedback from three testing phases, Pawprint Studio implemented several pre-launch changes. The developers redesigned the encounter for the Legendary Aniimo Irisalis, replacing a repetitive chance-based process with a system where players use Legendary Tokens obtained through exploration to craft a dedicated Legendary Aniipod. Furthermore, the studio simplified creature progression by removing random rune slots, increased upgrade materials, expanded the Home system, and improved controller inputs, animations, and journey guidance.