Pokémon Go officially began its worldwide rollout in 2016.
The mobile game launched first on July 6, 2016, in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Niantic expanded availability across additional countries and territories throughout the rest of the year.
Pokémon Go combines location-based play, smartphone cameras, and augmented reality. Players explore real-world locations to find, catch, train, and battle Pokémon. Its use of GPS and mapped locations made the game different from the traditional handheld role-playing titles.
The launch was not simultaneous everywhere. Server strain caused some regional delays, and Japan’s release arrived on July 22, 2016. This staggered schedule is why 2016, rather than a single universal launch day, is the clearest answer for the game’s worldwide rollout.