Many mobile titles following a live-service model, particularly gacha games that rely on players spending in-game currency to have a chance at collecting certain characters or items, celebrate seasonal events and holidays. These limited-time celebrations often instill a "Fear of Missing Out" (FOMO) in players who want to collect the rare goodie available during that season. Nintendo's mobile games are no different, from Fire Emblem Heroes releasing New Year's characters to Pokemon Masters EX's recent two-year anniversary Sync Pairs. Niantic's Pokemon GO does something similar, which may offer insight into how its Pikmin mobile game will handle the tradition.

It's no surprise that Niantic and Nintendo elected to collaborate further given Pokemon GO became a smash hit after releasing in 2016. However, it was a surprise when Niantic's Pikmin mobile game was announced this March, as Pikmin is a more niche series than Pokemon, and one that recently released Pikmin 3 Deluxe on Switch. Not a lot is public about how deep the upcoming mobile game'd mechanics will be, but following Early Access tests it is clear that holiday/seasonal events are one area Niantic will have to stretch its creative muscles for the Pikmin game to stand out.

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What We Know About Niantic's Pikmin Game

Niantic Pikmin

Not a lot was said of Niantic's upcoming title upon its reveal, though Pikmin creator Shigeru Miyamoto said the Augmented Reality app will simulate its creatures secretly living in the real world. Details from Early Access tests have been kept largely under wraps, though VGC received news on some gameplay features when a beta launched in Singapore. Unlike Pokemon GO, where players wander to find PokeStops for items while encountering monsters randomly along the way, the Pikmin game reportedly has players grow Pikmin seeds by gathering "step energy."

That same VGC report indicated there were seven types of Pikmin to acquire at the time of that beta, including the basic red, blue, and yellow varieties as well as Pikmin 3's Winged Pikmin. Each Pikmin raised to fruition can apparently be named, and they join a mass that follows the player. These helpful critters then gather fruits that can become "nectar" to help grow flowers, or they can be sent on expeditions that secure certain items.

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How Niantic's Pikmin Game Could Host Seasonal Events

pikmin and Olimar marching on a branch

The more finite number of unique characters means Pikmin's mobile app will have to approach its FOMO elements differently from Pokemon GO. In the latter, Niantic has access to over 900 Pokemon and counting, which means if a holiday like Halloween comes around it can release a new Ghost-type to celebrate. However, its more unique celebrations come in the form of limited-time monsters such as costumed Pokemon that can only be caught in the winter.

Unless Niantic's Pikmin mobile game goes out of its way to invent new species of Pikmin for certain holidays (which wouldn't be difficult given the series includes oddballs like Rock Pikmin), adding costumes or unique attributes during certain time periods would make the most sense. For example, a Pikmin feeding on special fruit nectar during a summer celebration might grow a flower traditionally associated with the season - like a Hawaiian hibiscus. Perhaps players will get to dress up some of their Pikmin friends, in which case they could unlock outfit pieces like a vampire's cape by going on expeditions during a Halloween-themed event.

Regardless of what Niantic goes with, it's sure to go with something. Mobile games are huge cash cows - as seen with Pokemon GO having its most profitable year in 2020 despite an ongoing global pandemic. Seasonal events, holidays, and anniversary celebrations are key times to offer content players might be willing to spend their money on due to FOMO. More than that, if Miyamoto's claim that the game is about experiencing Pikmins' secret lives in the real world holds true, it will make the game much more special to see Pikmin celebrate events alongside their human friends.

Niantic's Pikmin mobile game is in development, aiming for a 2021 release.

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