The Pokemon Company has just unveiled a brand-new mobile game, titled "Pokemon Co-Master." The game will launch for both iOS and Android devices and is being marketed as a Pokemon-themed board game similar to the Chinese game "Go" or the Japanese board game "Shogi."
According to a report from Polygon, the game will involve players collecting virtual Pokemon figurines that will be strategically used in a virtual board game akin to the aforementioned traditional board games. "Pokemon Co-Master" will allow players to battle CPU opponents but it will also feature online play to allow players to battle other people.
The game is being co-developed by a company known as Heroz Japan, a company primarily known for developing high-end AI (artificial intelligence). According to the report, the developers have been able to defeat professional shogi players in public matches using their advance AI programs.
"Shogi Wars," "Chess Heroz" and "BackgammonAce" are some of Heroz Japan's other titles, almost all of which are available only for mobile gamers in Japan.
Polygon also points out that the game is only being marketed thus far for Japan, which means there is still no confirmation whether this mobile title may see a release in the U.K. and the U.S. It is also being marketed as a free-to-play title but there are no indications that it will not feature micro-transactions in the future.
The teaser trailer that launched online gives a very basic look of the game, giving fans a brief look at the playing field and how the game's aesthetics have been designed, but there are no clips of an active match in session. Seeing the game in action may be reserved for a future trailer.
"Pokemon Co-Master" is also noted as being a very different game from "Pokemon GO," the other mobile game being developed by The Pokemon Company and their partner Niantic Labs, as the latter is a real-world adaptation of the franchise's core mechanics utilizing augmented reality.
No release date for "Pokemon Co-Master" has been announced thus far.
