The cute creature-catching genre is getting a major shake-up later this year. During the Future Games Show, developer Pawprint Studio officially debuted a new gameplay trailer for Aniimo, their upcoming free-to-play, creature-catching open-world RPG. The studio confirmed a launch window of Q3 2026 for major consoles, PC, and mobile platforms, while also teasing an upcoming Global Closed Beta Test scheduled to kick off this summer.
Set in the vast, uncharted landscapes of a world called Idyll, Aniimo gets points for originalliy by the use of it’s “Twining” mechanic. Rather than just directing monsters from the sidelines, players can physically merge and ‘twine’ with their magical companions. This allows you to explore the world, solve ancient mysteries, and battle directly through the creatures themselves, giving players a unique look at the internal habits of the Aniimo.
Summer Beta Announcement
To give players a taste of Idyll before the official autumn rollout, Pawprint Studio is launching a huge Global Closed Beta Test this summer across PC, iOS, and Android. Sign-ups are officially live right now at the game’s website here, giving players a chance to test drive a mountain of newly revealed features and regions.
The upcoming beta will introduce players to entirely new creatures, including the debuting Bubbeep, Popapus, Mophling, and Sausite, alongside powerful evolutions like Budsquire and Thornblade. Explorers will also get their first look at the Island of Peace, a water-themed region teeming with aquatic life and dangerous new boss challenges like Bubbask and Coraliz.
Outside of combat, the beta will showcase significant upgrades to the game’s social and customization hubs. In the city of Astra, Pathfinders can now visit brand-new clothing and blind-box stores to purchase unique character accessories. Meanwhile, the Homeland—your customizable home base that travels with you inside a movable RV—has been expanded with deep new decoration options and specialized Aniimo-themed furniture.
We also got a first look at Aniimo’s multiplayer suite. The highlight is a brand-new PvP mode titled Diamond Egg Heist, which pits six teams of three against one another in a frantic race to locate and twine with a mythical diamond egg. Once a player successfully merges with the prize, the mode shifts into an intense escort mission where teammates must aggressively protect the carrier and guide them to safety.
For more peaceful player interactions, the developers confirmed that a fully functional Aniimo Exchange system will be active in the beta, allowing friendly Pathfinders to trade creatures freely to help fill out their rosters.
Aniimo is scheduled to launch in Q3 2026 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PC (via Steam, Epic Games Store, and the Xbox App), and mobile devices.
Players motivated to join the summer beta can register their accounts at aniimo.com, and the game is officially available to wishlist across all console and PC digital storefronts today.
