In which three countries did Pokémon Go officially launch first on July 6, 2016?

Pokémon Go officially launched first in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States on July 6, 2016.

The mobile augmented-reality game was developed and published by Niantic in partnership with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. It uses GPS and a player’s real-world location to place Pokémon, PokéStops, and Gyms within a digital map.

Its release was staggered rather than worldwide on one day. Heavy server demand caused technical problems, and launches in additional regions followed over the next several weeks. Japan received the game on July 22, while many European countries received it during July.

The game’s location-based design encouraged players to explore real places while catching Pokémon. It also brought the franchise to smartphones, making Pokémon Go a major anniversary-era expansion of the series beyond dedicated Nintendo hardware.