If you happen to be one of the many people who preordered the Pokémon GO Plus accessory the moment it was available, then you're likely wondering what happened to it. Well, the good news is it's still coming, but the bad news is the release date has been pushed back to September.
The Pokémon GO Plus, which is compatible with both the Android and iOS versions of Pokémon GO, costs $34.99. It pairs with a smartphone via low-energy Bluetooth connection, allowing users to play the game without having to take their smartphone out (alleviating one of the game's biggest flaws). It can be worn as a pin or with a wrist strap, and lights up whenever Pokémon or PokéStops are nearby.
Nintendo broke the news over Twitter, revealing that the accessory has been delayed and won't be coming out until September 2016 — two months after it was supposed to come out.
The #PokemonGO Plus accessory will now be released Sept 2016 instead of the originally expected end of July launch. https://t.co/QgjZf1aAV6
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) July 27, 2016
Nintendo initially planned to release the Pokémon GO Plus in late July, a little after the main free-to-play game was launched earlier in the month. The company didn't give a reason for the delay, but considering the runaway success of Pokémon GO, it's highly likely that Nintendo opted to take more time to make enough units to meet the demand of the peripheral.
If this is actually the case, then it wouldn't be the first time an entity involved in the game has taken such a step with regard to Pokémon GO. Before the game finally launched in Japan last week, it was delayed on at least one occasion in order to prepare for the massive influx of players the servers would have to accommodate.
In the meantime, Nintendo UK expressed regrets about the delay of the accessory's launch.
"We'd like to apologize for this delay, and we understand that this change could affect whether you'd like to complete your order," Nintendo UK said in an email. "If you would still like to receive the accessory you do not need to take any action. Your order will then be delivered to you by 30th September."
As a result, Nintendo UK is offering customers a discount of £5 (about $6.50) on their next order, so long as it's more than £30 (roughly $39). It's unclear if players in the United States, or any other region affected by the delay, will get a similar deal.
