Aniimo Locks In Q3 2026 Launch on PS5, Xbox Series, PC and Mobile

Jordan Ellis13/08/2026Updated 25/08/20264 min read

Publisher Kingsglory and developer Pawprint Studio have confirmed that free-to-play open-world creature-catching action RPG Aniimo is on track to launch in the third quarter of 2026, arriving simultaneously on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and mobile.

The game will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Microsoft Store, and iOS and Android in Q3 2026, according to the studios. The wide, day-one spread across five platform families is unusually broad for a new IP and signals just how much weight Kingsglory: the newer publishing arm of Chinese gaming giant FunPlus, is putting behind the project.

From Xbox Reveal to a Five-Platform Q3 2026 Launch

Aniimo first surfaced in June 2025, when Kingsglory, a new publishing label of FunPlus, and developer Pawprint Studio announced free-to-play open-world creature catching action RPG Aniimo for Xbox Series, PC (Microsoft Store), iOS, and Android. At the time, Pawprint Studio executive producer Jovi Zhang framed the pitch in personal terms, saying “Like every other player, the Aniimo team has always believed that one day, there will be a game that exists that makes all our dreams come true… Instead of waiting any longer, we created it ourselves.”

PlayStation 5 wasn’t part of that original lineup. It was added roughly nine months later, alongside the Epic Games Store, when publisher Kinsglory and developer Pawprint Studio announced the free-to-play open-world creature catching action RPG, Aniimo, will launch for the PlayStation 5 alongside the previous announced Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam and Microsoft Store, iOS, and Android versions. That expansion also came with a hands-on showing, as a demo of the game was playable at PAX East 2026, which ran from March 26 to 29 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Twining Turns Every Captured Aniimo Into a Playable Form

The game’s defining hook is a mechanic called Twining. Rather than issuing commands to a creature from the sidelines, a unique “Twine” mechanic sets it apart from other games in the genre, letting players essentially merge with them to see the world from their perspective and utilize their specific traversal abilities, such as gliding, diving, and burrowing, to solve puzzles and overcome challenges.

Between battles, players retreat to a mobile base. Every player owns a personal, customizable RV parked at a communal campsite, and can return to their “Homeland” to plant crops, build decorations, and arrange their space to interact with their collected Aniimo. The setup leans as much into cosy life-sim territory as it does into monster-battling, echoing the genre-blending approach that made Palworld and Genshin Impact breakout hits.

Global Closed Beta Feeds Into the Q3 Launch Window

The Q3 2026 window was formally attached to a new gameplay trailer during the Future Games Show Summer Showcase, alongside details of a fresh test phase. Free-to-play open-world creature catching action RPG Aniimo will launch in Q3 2026, publisher Kingsglory and developer Pawprint Studio announced, with a global closed beta test taking place across PC, including Steam, iOS, and Android. That Global Closed Beta, nicknamed the “Pawprint Test,” went live on July 9, 2026, following an earlier test that ran from January 23 to February 8, 2026.

The beta itself has been used to layer in new content ahead of launch. New Aniimo introduced include Bubbeep, Popapus, Mophling, and Sausite, a new water-themed region called the Island of Peace was made accessible for the first time, and a mode was added where up to six teams of three Pathfinders compete to be the first to twine with a diamond egg, with cooperation key to safely escorting it once claimed. New boss encounters and a creature-trading feature between players rounded out the update.

Free-to-Play Model Draws Both Hype and Wariness

Aniimo’s zero-dollar entry price and cross-platform reach have made it one of the more closely watched creature-collectors heading into the back half of 2026, but not everyone is convinced the free model is a pure positive. Some users have also voiced concerns about monetization, with the free-to-play model, potential gacha elements and a suspected live-service approach making parts of the community wary.

Pre-registration is already open globally on the official Aniimo site and via PlayStation Store and Xbox Store listings, meaning players in Australia and New Zealand can lock in a spot ahead of launch without needing regional workarounds. Neither Kingsglory nor Pawprint Studio has published an exact day-of-week release date beyond the Q3 2026 window, so anyone circling a specific date on the calendar should treat it as unconfirmed until the studios say otherwise.