Niantic developed Pokémon Go together with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.
The mobile game launched in 2016 and uses GPS, maps, and augmented reality to place Pokémon in the player’s real-world surroundings. Players explore locations, find Pokémon, collect items, and visit PokéStops and Gyms.
Niantic brought experience from its earlier location-based game Ingress, which used real-world landmarks and map data. Pokémon Go adapted that basic idea to the Pokémon universe, making outdoor exploration and location-based discovery central parts of play.
Nintendo and The Pokémon Company were also involved in the project, while Google provided early investment through its Niantic-related funding history. The game’s enormous launch helped make location-based augmented-reality games globally familiar. It is distinct from the main series Pokémon games because it does not use the traditional handheld role-playing structure or a single fixed region.