Niantic developed and published Pokémon Go when it launched in 2016.
Pokémon Go is a location-based augmented-reality mobile game for iOS and Android. It uses GPS data to place Pokémon, PokéStops, and Gyms in real-world locations, turning outdoor exploration into part of the collecting experience.
Niantic created the game in partnership with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. Game Freak, the developer of the mainline role-playing games, was not the developer of Pokémon Go, which is a common source of confusion. The game also drew on Niantic’s earlier location-based project Ingress.
Pokémon Go launched first on July 6, 2016, in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Its rapid worldwide popularity introduced Pokémon to many people who had not played the traditional handheld games and made augmented-reality gaming a mainstream topic.