Open-world monster-catching game Roco Kingdom: World is making a huge splash and is apparently aiming to compete with juggernauts like Pokemon. The game is exclusive to mobile and features more than 400 unique creatures for players to discover within its expansive world.
While many other games have come and gone, the Pokemon franchise has dominated the monster-catching genre since its debut. Pokemon became a worldwide phenomenon after the launch of Pokemon Red and Blue and, thirty years later, has grown into one of the biggest media properties in the world. The franchise’s popularity has inspired plenty of developers, both indie and AAA, to follow in its footsteps, with everything from Dragon Quest Monsters to Temtem looking to mimic Pokemon‘s success. Now, a new game from Chinese studios Morefun Games and Tencent looks to challenge Pokemon‘s reign.
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Roco Kingdom: World Is a New Monster-Catching MMORPG
Roco Kingdom: World has already positioned itself as a strong competitor for Pokemon. The monster-catching game combines the classic team building and turn-based battles that have become staples of the genre with a wide open world to explore. Roco Kingdom takes inspiration from many modern open-world mobile games like Genshin Impact by putting a focus on exploration and tasking players with delving into abandoned train stations, mountains, and fantastical locales. Despite being a mobile game, Roco Kingdom: World is notably light on microtransactions, with all 400 Rocos available through the main game and in-game purchases limited to cosmetics. Roco Kingdom: World is currently only available in China, with a global release not officially confirmed.
Drag weapons to fill the grid
Drag weapons to fill the grid
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Roco Kingdom: World‘s status as an MMORPG puts a heavy focus on multiplayer and social gameplay. Players can team up with one another to explore the game’s world, alongside battling bosses and tackling dungeons. Players also have a wealth of options, such as mounting their Rocos to fly around. Since its full release in China in March, Roco Kingdom: World has clearly been a hit with fans, seeing more than 13 million players already trying out the game.
Morefun and Tencent’s ambitious foray into the monster-catching genre follows several developers attempting to challenge Pokemon‘s supremacy. Genshin Impact developer HoYoverse officially revealed Honkai: Nexus Anima in 2025 as a new monster-catching game from the Chinese studio, featuring characters from Honkai Impact 3rd and Honkai: Star Rail. Palworld served as one of the biggest competitors for Pokemon following its release in 2020, with the monster-catching survival game boasting more than 32 million players to date.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
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New challengers to Pokemon‘s monster-catching supremacy emerge as the franchise is gearing up for its next major evolution. The Pokemon Company officially revealed Pokemon Winds and Waves in February 2026 as the tenth generation of mainline games. The announcement trailer was coupled with the first reveals of the starter Pokemon for Winds and Waves, introducing fans to the Grass-type Growt, the Fire-type Pombon, and the Water-type Gecqua. The monster-catching genre has seen a major boom in recent years, with more games than ever looking to replicate Pokemon‘s overwhelming success.
Source: CBR
