On what date did Pokémon Go first launch in its initial release countries?

Pokémon Go first launched in its initial release countries on July 6, 2016.

The mobile augmented-reality game was developed by Niantic in collaboration with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. It uses a smartphone’s location services, camera, and map data to place Pokémon in the real world, allowing players to find, catch, and train them while exploring physical locations.

The first release covered Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. The game then expanded to additional countries in stages, including Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, and France. This staggered rollout is why several different dates appear in accounts of Pokémon Go’s launch.

Pokémon Go became one of the most visible Pokémon releases of the 2010s. Its combination of familiar creatures, outdoor exploration, and location-based gameplay introduced the franchise to many smartphone users who had never owned a dedicated Nintendo handheld.