Pokémon Go first became available in its initial launch countries on July 6, 2016.
The augmented-reality mobile game launched first in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. It used GPS location data, smartphone cameras, and real-world movement to let players find Pokémon in their surroundings.
Pokémon Go was developed by Niantic in collaboration with The Pokémon Company and Nintendo. Its gameplay drew on Niantic's earlier location-based game Ingress, while Pokémon supplied the creatures and world that players recognized.
The release then expanded country by country rather than arriving everywhere at once. Japan received the game on July 22, 2016, while other regions followed on different dates. That staged rollout is why the first availability date is not the same worldwide.