Pokémon Go, the augmented reality free-to-play mobile game from Niantic, will be available this July. Nintendo announced the release window during its second-day E3 live stream, but didn't give a concrete day. The company did say the game's accessory, a wrist-worn wearable called Pokémon Go Plus that lets you play the game without using your smartphone, will be available for $34.99. Unfortunately, it won't be quite ready at launch, Nintendo clarified.
Pokémon Go is an ambitious AR title being developed by Niantic, the makers of Android game Ingress, in conjunction with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. In our first hands-on look at the game earlier this month, we saw exactly how the game incorporates the same real-world exploration elements of Ingress with a pokémon twist. The core gameplay will involve looking through your smartphone camera while the software integrates the digital creatures into the environment.
On a deeper level, you'll be able to assume the role of a trainer and travel to notable points of interest near where you live — or where you happen to be visiting — to capture pokémon and battle at gyms, which are located at notable landmarks. At any given moment, the gyms will be controlled by one of three groups, the Red, Blue, or Yellow team. You can take control of gyms for your pledged faction by battling your own pokémon, and teaming up with others in the real world raises your chances of victory.
In its E3 live stream, Nintendo clarified further that players will be able to level up their trainers to catch stronger pokémon. There will also be a "candy" rewards, which players can use to evolve pokémon. As for the sought-after legendaries, pokémon like Mewtwo and Zapdos, Nintendo doesn't appear to have decided whether it will host local events in different cities to allow players to meet up and capture them. Trading between players is in the works, but won't be available at launch.
The company did say that Go will have some kind of tie-in with the franchise's main handheld titles, but we don't know how that will work just yet. The two latest games, Pokémon Sun and Moon, will be out this November.
Update June 15th, at 7:10PM ET: A previous version of this article spelled Zapdos with a "t" instead of a "d," and we have since been electrocuted by the thunder bird god for our grievous error.
Comments
Months after release, Miitomo still not release to the stinky people from the third world. I wonder if Pokemon Go will have the same treatment from Nintendo.
By MedievalBudha on 06.15.16 3:40pm
Those stinky people from the third world. Why should they get nice things?
By JokerES on 06.16.16 2:47am
They aren’t missing much.
By okamienzo on 06.16.16 12:49pm
By AslanFatih92 on 06.15.16 4:01pm
Looks like fun if it isn’t too much of a distraction from real life.
By ethan_snap on 06.16.16 12:22am
I read the "update" about "Zaptos" and almost flipped over, rolling on the floor laughing.
Shocking mistake.
By BorgCommander on 06.16.16 8:43am
I’m probably going to buy an android phone literally for this and I’m so annoyed by that lol
By tomhowe on 06.16.16 8:37pm
Or if you’re an iPhone user, just continue to be an iPhone user.
By donnybeee on 06.21.16 12:20pm
I am not an iOS user.
By tomhowe on 06.23.16 10:20pm
Then an Android or iOS purchase for you it is. Used ones can be pretty cheap for both OS’s – Moto X gen 1 plays it great.
By SasparillaFizz on 08.09.16 1:50pm
Lol I bought an android phone and I’m still using it but I already stopped playing pokemon go soooo my sim might go back in my old phone sometime soon
By tomhowe on 08.09.16 3:15pm
im afraid i might get disappointed tho. all i want is the normal pokemon game (like sun and mon), but with the augmented reality world-roaming, catch-em-all. am i asking too much?
By erickmojojojo on 06.22.16 6:29pm