Pokémon fans in Japan might be glad to know that the Pokémon Go Development Team has announced that the "field test" for the hotly awaited mobile game will kick off later this month.
"The Pokémon Company and Niantic will be inviting users to field test Pokémon Go in Japan later this month," says the development team in a short blogpost. "The Pokémon Go field test program will give users the opportunity to share early feedback and help improve the Pokémon Go experience."
This beta program of the game necessitates either an Android or iOS device, based on the instructions which can only be seen on the Japanese version of the game's site.
Japanese players who are interested to join the program should also note that developer Niantic will not accommodate all those who registered the moment the field test is released later this month.
Moreover, those who will participate are not allowed to leak out content from the game's beta version. The objective for having the beta version available, as with other beta programs, is to help beef up the game's present build through the players' feedback.
The field test is expected to be made available in other parts of the globe in the succeeding weeks. The development team, though, has yet to reveal the precise dates as to when it intends to roll out the field test to other markets.
Furthermore, it has yet to announce as to when exactly the Pokémon Go will officially launch. It is believed, however, that it will hit Google Play and Apple's App Store within the year as a free download. This game will also have in-app purchases.
Pokémon Go was announced last fall. At the moment, details are still light about the game. Although the developer was previously expected to disclose more details about the game through a Pokémon Go presentation at the Game Developers Conference, the developer decided to cancel it.
Inspired by Ingress, this game is deemed as an augmented reality game. Players will take their smart devices outside to find, battle and capture Pokémon in real-world settings — although the developer has yet to provide more specifics on how exactly this game will work.
On top of that, users will have to use a special wearable Bluetooth device which would vibrate the moment it detects that a Pokémon is in close proximity.
Niantic is joining forces with The Pokémon Company and Game Freak to make this game possible.
Japanese gamers who wish to get the first dibs of the Pokémon Go may sign up through the official website.
In October, Nintendo, The Pokémon Company and Google announced that they are investing up to $30 million to Niantic Labs for the development of the AR mobile game Pokémon Go.
