Pokémon GO is the Pokémon mobile game that launched in July 2016 and uses real-world locations.
Developed by Niantic in collaboration with The Pokémon Company and Nintendo, Pokémon GO uses GPS and augmented reality to place Pokémon encounters in players’ surroundings. Players can explore outdoors, visit PokéStops, battle at Gyms, and catch Pokémon through a smartphone interface.
The game first launched on July 6, 2016, in Australia and New Zealand, followed by the United States on July 6. Its global rollout continued over the following weeks. The initial release focused on the original Generation I Pokémon and helped bring location-based augmented reality into mainstream popular culture.
Pokémon GO is sometimes confused with later mobile titles such as Pokémon Masters EX or Pokémon Unite. Those games use Pokémon characters but do not share Pokémon GO’s GPS-based collecting structure and real-world map gameplay.