Pokémon Go maker’s new virtual pet game Peridot launches in May

Niantic, the company behind it pokemon go, Picmin Bloomand the recently released NBA All-Worldwill release his next game, the all new property peridoton May 9. That’s just over a year after Niantic first announced peridotan augmented reality game that allows players to raise and care for a virtual pet named Dot.

peridot is now available for pre-registration Apple App Store And Google Play Store. Niantic says players who pre-register or play the game during the first two weeks after launch will get “launch-exclusive party hat cosmetics” for their Dots.

Niantic’s David Hollin, creative director for peridot, said in the game’s release date announcement that each player’s pet will be “100% genetically unique” and will inherit genes from parent Dots that determine their color, features, and other cosmetic traits. Players (known as “Keepers”) need to keep their Dots “happy, healthy, and loved,” Hollin says, by feeding them, playing with them, and taking them on adventures. Eventually, Keepers will breed their Dots with other players’ Dots. Unlike Niantic’s collection and battle focus pokemon To gois the developer pitching peridot as a “charming, comfortable game that offers all the joy of raising a pet, without the mess.”

Based on the release date trailer above, Niantic also seems to be signaling the social – and even romantic – possibilities of it peridot. Whether it comes close to the success of pokemon goa game peridot seems to compete indirectly against, will become clear this spring.