Aniimo, a new open-world creature-catching RPG from Pawprint Studio, has had a strong launch. The game crossed 127,000 concurrent players on Steam on its first day, while also attracting a large audience on Twitch.
According to data tracked by Techlomedia Gaming’s Aniimo Steam player count page, Aniimo reached a peak of 127,901 concurrent players on September 16, the day it launched. The game currently has more than 72,000 players on Steam.
The launch is even more interesting because Steam is only one part of Aniimo’s audience. The game is also available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The Android and iOS versions are scheduled to launch on September 23.
Aniimo is also getting strong attention from streamers. According to Techlomedia Gaming’s Twitch viewership data, the game currently has more than 23,000 active viewers and over 1,300 live channels streaming it. Its Twitch peak has reached 89,770 viewers.
The streaming numbers are important for a new free-to-play game because they show that the launch is generating attention beyond its existing player base.
At first, Aniimo looks very familiar. It is an open-world creature-catching RPG where players explore the world, capture creatures and use them in battles. The game has more than 200 Aniimo to discover, with creatures appearing based on factors such as location, weather and time of day.
Instead of simply sending creatures into battle, players can form a bond with them and use their abilities directly. This can also help with exploration, traversal and puzzles. The game combines this with an open world, cooperative play, PvP and a customizable home system.
That puts Aniimo somewhere between the traditional creature-catching RPG formula and games such as Palworld that have expanded the genre into open-world survival and multiplayer experiences.
Aniimo’s current numbers do not include its mobile audience because the Android and iOS versions are not available yet. They are scheduled to launch on September 23. That makes the first-day Steam peak a useful indicator of the game’s PC traction, but not its overall launch size.
The mobile release could bring another large group of players into the game. It could also change the balance between platforms, especially if players who start on PC or console later move to mobile.
There is also a bigger question around retention. Reaching over 100,000 players on launch day is impressive for a new IP, but launch-day curiosity can push free-to-play games to unusually high numbers. The more important figure will be how many players Aniimo retains after the first few weeks.
The current Steam reception is also mixed, with players praising the creature designs and visuals while some reviews raise concerns about the game’s monetisation and progression systems.
With PS5 and Xbox already supported and the mobile launch still ahead, Aniimo has plenty of room to grow. Whether it can turn this launch-day interest into a stable player base will be the more interesting story over the next few weeks.
