Niantic, the brilliant minds behind the smash-hit Pokemon Go, recently announced yet another augmented reality experience called Peridot. The new game will see players able to raise a slew of adorable magical creatures known as Peridots in augmented reality. This means you’ll be able to see them in the real world on your device’s screen.
The concept is somewhat similar to how Pokemon Go functions, in that you undertake to care for and raise a single magical creature through in-game interactions on your device. This is known as Pokemon Go’s Buddy mechanic. You’ll need to take your Peridot out for walks and let it explore its real-world environment through augmented reality. You’ll also be able to play with them in similar ways to real-life pets, and you’ll need to sustain their life state as well, through feeding and other critical interactions.
One interesting community mechanic that Peridot will feature when it’s released is that your Peridot will be able to interact with those of other players in their immediate augmented reality vicinity, and you’ll also be able to breed your Peridot with those of other players. Doing so is likely to result in the discovery of new breeds and archetypes of Peridot, further enhancing your gameplay experience.
Essentially Peridot boils down to a modern, augmented reality take on the Tamagochi toy from the 90s. This was a small digital toy that required food, attention, and entertainment. This kind of toy was a joy to children the world over as it gave them the opportunity to have to take care of another ‘being’ from a particularly young age, in turn promoting a greater sense of responsibility while being incredibly entertaining.
The inclusion of gameplay mechanics from Pokemon Go, however, increases the effectiveness that Peridot is likely to have as not only entertainment but a promoter of a healthier lifestyle. If the trailer is anything to go by, Peridot is not a stationary experience. The expectation is that players will want to see their Peridots exploring their own favourite places to go, thereby encouraging as much movement as possible. The ability to breed is likely to increase real human interaction as you scour your city for other players with adorable Peridots.
If done right, Peridot almost promises to break down the barriers of device screens, even though utilizing them, promoting human interaction, movement, and a society eager to explore the world around them. Pokemon Go is still an incredibly valid tool to this end as well. If you’d like to learn more about this specially curated AR experience by Niantic, why not read our guide on how to level up quickly in Pokemon Go?
