Infinity Nikki, poised to be a gaming highlight of 2024, finally has an official release date. The open-world gacha game will launch on PC, mobile devices, and PlayStation 5 on December 5th.
This date holds special significance for developer Infold Games (a part of Papergames), marking the 12th anniversary of the Nikki series, which began with Nikki Up2U: A Dressing Story in 2012. Infinity Nikki is the fifth installment in the series but marks the first venture beyond mobile platforms. Significantly, it’s also the first Nikki game to expand beyond the dress-up gacha genre. While dress-up elements remain, Infinity Nikki evolves from a casual mobile title into a platforming, open-world exploration game with integrated gacha mechanics.
Infinity Nikki has been touted as the “coziest open-world game” ever, a claim seemingly supported by recent previews. Reviewers have praised its laid-back atmosphere compared to other free-to-play gacha games like Genshin Impact and Zenless Zone Zero. It was also highly regarded at PAX West this year. Players join Nikki and her cat, Momo, on an adventure through Miraland, exploring through platforming, photography, and light combat.
Runhao Yao, Nikki producer and studio founder, announced the release date in a letter on X (formerly Twitter), describing Infinity Nikki as a “one-of-a-kind” project that presented significant challenges for the development team. The transition to Unreal Engine 5 and the creation of a new game style pushed the team’s boundaries.
“It’s been tough, but our determination carried us through,” Yao wrote. “Our team has always believed in taking on the impossible, and because this was a Nikki project, we were even more motivated and inspired to pursue ‘infinity’ with everything we had.”
Infold Games revealed that Infinity Nikki has already surpassed 30 million pre-registrations following a successful closed beta in October. This milestone unlocks a suite of rewards for players: 50,000 Blings, 300 Threads of Purity, 20 Resonite Crystals, and the four-star outfit “Far and Away.” Given the considerable hype surrounding Infinity Nikki, further rewards are expected to be announced soon.
