Aniimo is bringing its open-world creature catching to PS5

Pawprint Studio's free-to-play creature catcher Aniimo is officially coming to the PlayStation 5. The developer announced the Sony console port alongside an Epic Games Store release. This expands the game's availability beyond the Xbox, Steam, and mobile versions originally revealed at last year's Xbox Games Showcase. The title is currently scheduled to launch sometime in 2026.

Pawprint Studio operates under Kingsglory, a relatively new publishing label established by FunPlus. The team is building the game as a cross-platform experience from the ground up. Players take on the role of Pathfinders exploring the continent of Idyll, a large map filled with various biomes and native monsters. The core loop involves tracking these monsters down and capturing them with high-tech, glowing red and yellow cube devices.

The Twining system

Most games in this genre have you stand on the sidelines while your captured pets do the fighting. Aniimo uses a different system called Twining. Players physically merge with their captured creatures and take direct control of them. This transformation system acts as the foundation for both exploration and combat.

Different forms grant access to specific traversal abilities. You might need a flying creature to cross a gap or a fast-moving quadruped to win a race. The art direction leans heavily into bright, saturated environments to support this exploration. The map includes purple flower fields dotted with windmills, dense forests, and snowy mountain peaks. Players can also travel to a massive hub city floating in the sky to interact with other Pathfinders.

Real-time combat

The battle system operates in real-time rather than using turn-based menus. The creature designs range from standard cute mascots to much more intimidating boss encounters. Players will face off against enemies like a multi-headed wolf with glowing purple eyes that stalks out of the shadows, hinting at higher-level PvE encounters.

Combat extends to player-versus-player modes as well. The system allows for high-action brawls with heavy visual feedback. Large monsters trade blows using fire and energy attacks that fill the screen with particle effects. The developers have also built in cooperative elements. Players can set up camps and go on road trips together across the map.

The road to 2026

The development team recently wrapped up their second closed beta test on PC. The test gathered feedback on the open-world mechanics and the Twining system. Anyone who missed the beta can check out the current build at PAX East in Boston later this week. The convention demo introduces a new electric creature named Hoptail, which stores energy in its tail to trigger explosive jumps.

The creature-catching genre is incredibly crowded right now. Between massive established franchises and an endless stream of indie competitors, standing out requires a strong mechanical hook. The perspective-shifting Twining system gives Aniimo a distinct gameplay loop. The real test will be how the studio balances the free-to-play economy when the game finally launches across all these platforms next year.