Pokémon GO was first released for iOS and Android devices in 2016.
Developed by Niantic in collaboration with The Pokémon Company and Nintendo, Pokémon GO launched as a free-to-play mobile game using location data, maps, and augmented reality. Players could find Pokémon in real-world surroundings, visit PokéStops, battle at Gyms, and collect creatures by throwing virtual Poké Balls.
The initial rollout began on July 6, 2016, in Australia and New Zealand, followed by the United States on July ು7 and other markets later. Because the game was released in stages, there is no single launch day for every country. The year 2016 is the stable answer for the game’s first public release.
Pokémon GO became a major cultural phenomenon almost immediately. Its success encouraged outdoor exploration and social play, while also producing debates about trespassing, distracted walking, privacy, and public-space use. Later updates added trading, raids, more generations of Pokémon, and other systems beyond the original launch version.