What was Pokémon GO’s first release year?

Pokémon GO was first released in 2016.

Niantic developed the mobile game with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. Its initial launch began on July 6, 2016, in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. The game used GPS location data and augmented reality to place Pokémon in real-world surroundings.

Pokémon GO differed from the main role-playing games because players moved through real locations to discover Pokémon, visit PokéStops, and challenge Gyms. It was free to download, with optional in-app purchases, and quickly became a worldwide cultural phenomenon.

The Japanese release did not happen on the first launch date; Japan received the game on July 22, 2016. This is why the release year is more reliable than naming one universal launch day. Regional rollout occurred over several weeks, but every official launch in that first wave belonged to 2016.