Pokémon Go was the Pokémon game that first launched internationally in July 2016 as a location-based mobile app.
Developed by Niantic in collaboration with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, the game uses GPS and mobile-device features to place Pokémon in real-world locations. Players explore their surroundings, find creatures, collect items, and participate in battles and raids.
The initial international release began on July 6, 2016, in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Other countries received the app in stages, while Japan’s release followed on July 22. These staggered dates are why July 2016, rather than one universal launch day, is associated with the game’s worldwide arrival.
Pokémon Go helped bring augmented-reality gaming into mainstream conversation. Its design also revived the franchise’s original theme of exploration, though its collection and battle systems differ from the mainline handheld RPGs.