Pokémon Go introduced the Pokémon franchise to smartphone augmented reality in 2016.
Niantic developed the mobile game with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company. It uses GPS and a phone’s camera and sensors to place Pokémon-catching activities in real-world locations. Players walk to find Pokémon, visit PokéStops, and battle at Gyms, turning movement and location into core game mechanics.
Pokémon Go launched in stages beginning in July 2016, first appearing in selected markets before expanding internationally. Its release produced unusually large crowds, record downloads, and widespread public attention, making augmented-reality gaming a mainstream topic.
Pokémon Go is sometimes confused with later mobile titles such as Pokémon Masters or Pokémon Unite. Those games use different formats and do not define the franchise’s original large-scale augmented-reality breakthrough.