Unleashing the Potential: Amazing Franchises in Desperate Need of a Pokemon GO Clone

Niantic has been attempting to recreate the success of Pokemon GO by exploring various franchises. The Wizarding World gave rise to Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, Pikmin Bloom featured the Pikmin series, Monster Hunter had its own version, and the studio has partnered with other developers to explore even more options. Niantic appears eager to offer every franchise its very own Pokemon GO, but there are unexplored franchises that may be better suited for this model.

The Pokemon franchise is ideally suited for an augmented reality smartphone game focused on collecting, unlike some other franchises. While Niantic may not currently possess the rights to these franchises, IPs such as Digimon and Yu-Gi-Oh could potentially provide the studio with the opportunity to replicate the success of Pokemon GO.

Digimon

Digimon is considered the closest alternative to Pokemon for fans who don't play Pokemon games. The series, which started in 1997, follows characters who interact with digital creatures called Digimon. These characters form strong bonds with their Digimon and engage in battles against other Digimon. While they may not aim to catch them all, they are dedicated to nurturing their Digimon and ensuring their safety.

Although the Digimon franchise has had numerous games and shows, it hasn't achieved the same level of success as Nintendo's Pokemon franchise. However, introducing a Pokemon GO-like game could be the right move for Digimon at this point. In this game, players would raise their own Digimon, explore the real world together, help their Digimon evolve, and engage in battles with other Digimon. Given that the franchise is already centered around a digital realm, it's time for it to step into the augmented reality genre.

Yo-Kai Watch

Yo-Kai Watch is a franchise centered around collecting mythical spirits, or Yo-kai, and using them to fight against evil. It was introduced in 2013 for the Nintendo 3DS and has since expanded with various projects. The series focuses on befriending these Yo-kai, who haunt the city, by utilizing a Yo-Kai Watch. This watch allows players to strengthen their bond with their Yo-kai and employ them in battles. Although it may not enjoy the same level of popularity as the Pokemon franchise, it could seamlessly fit into the Pokemon GO model.

By creating a Yo-Kai Watch augmented reality (AR) game, players could acquire their own Yo-Kai Watch through their mobile phones and embark on real-world adventures to befriend Yo-kai. These Yo-kai could be scattered throughout the real world, haunting city streets, and players would be responsible for assisting them. Furthermore, players could engage in battles against each other to determine who possesses the most powerful Yo-kai. This game could effectively raise the profile of Yo-Kai Watch and establish it as a household name.

Yu-Gi-Oh

The Yu-Gi-Oh! series, one of the biggest competitors to Pokemon TCG, presents an ideal opportunity for a Pokemon GO clone. In this series, players participate in a card game called Duel Monsters, battling each other using cards that bring fantasy creatures to life. While the Yu-Gi-Oh series is darker and lacks creature-catching, it still shares many similarities with Pokemon.

A Pokemon GO clone set in the world of Yu-Gi-Oh could enable players to battle opponents worldwide. They could engage in Duel Monsters and uncover new cards as they explore different locations. Niantic may need to modify the game mechanics to align with the fictional card game, but it has the potential to succeed. It could potentially outperform Harry Potter, Transformers, and even Marvel franchises, which could be precisely what the studio needs at this moment.

Pokemon GO is available now on Mobile devices.