The Pokemon Company teamed up with Nintendo and Niantic for a new mobile game called Pokemon Go, set to hit Android and iOS in 2016.
By the looks of it, Pokemon Go seems to borrow some aspects from Ingress, the augmented reality game from Niantic. As a reminder, Niantic used to be a Google subsidiary, but the Alphabet reorganization sent it on its own way. Niantic is now an independent company.
Pokemon Go seems reminiscent of Ingress in the way that it will allow players to find, trade and battle virtual Pokemon in real-world locations thanks to GPS. More specifically, players will be able to pair their Android or iOS phone with a separate Bluetooth device that Nintendo developed and manufactured. The Pokemon Company calls this Pokeball-shaped device the Pokemon GO Plus. The Bluetooth gadget will flash and vibrate to notify players of nearby events such as a Pokemon nearby, and players will be able to catch them simply by pressing a button.
In other words, the Pokemon GO Plus companion device allows wearers to participate in the Pokemon world without keeping an eye on their smartphone at all times.
"The Pokémon video game series has always valued open and social experiences, such as connecting with other players to enjoy trading and battling Pokémon," touts the press release. "Pokémon GO's gameplay experience goes beyond what appears on screen, as players explore their neighborhoods, communities, and the world they live in to discover Pokémon alongside friends and other players."
Pokemon GO will become available for download as a free app on Google Play and the App Store in 2016, but the company has yet to reveal a more specific launch timeframe. Even so, Pokemon fans are already excited to merge their real world with the virtual world of Pokemon for a more immersive experience.
Check out the video below to get a better idea of the whole Pokemon GO experience.
