Pokémon GO

If you were looking for the song, see Pokémon Go! (song).

Pokémon GO Pokémon GO
Pokémon GO logo
Basic info
Platform:	iOS, Android
Category:	Real-world adventure Location-based game
Players:	1+
Connectivity:	N/A
Developer:	Niantic, Inc.
Publisher:	Niantic, Inc.
Part of:	Generation VI miscellaneous
Ratings
CERO:	N/A
ESRB:	E
ACB:	PG
OFLC:	N/A
PEGI:	3
GRAC:	3
GSRR:	N/A
Release dates
Japan:	March 29, 2016 (field test) July 22, 2016 (public release)
North America:	May 25, 2016 (field test) July 6, 2016 (public release)
Australia:	April 25, 2016 (field test) July 6, 2016 (public release)
Europe:	July 13, 2016
South Korea:	January 24, 2017
Hong Kong:	July 25, 2016
Taiwan:	August 6, 2016
Websites
Japanese:	Official site (TPC) Official site (Niantic)
English:	Official site (TPCi) Official site (Niantic) Pokémon.com

Pokémon GO (Japanese: Pokémon GO) is a multiplayer, location-based, augmented reality Pokémon game for iOS and Android. The game results from a collaboration between The Pokémon Company, Nintendo, and Niantic, Inc., and is free to download with in-app purchases. It was released in most markets with access to the iOS App Store or Google Play Store on a staggered schedule starting on July 6, 2016.

The game was announced at a press conference in Japan on September 10, 2015. Field tests for Pokémon GO were held from March 29, 2016 through June 30, 2016.

The game is compatible with the Pokémon GO Plus, a Bluetooth device that allows players to enjoy elements of the game without looking at their phone. Compatibility with the Apple Watch was added in an update on December 22, 2016.

Blurb

Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise, Pikachu, and many other Pokémon have been discovered on planet Earth!

Now’s your chance to discover and capture the Pokémon all around you—so get your shoes on, step outside, and explore the world. You’ll join one of three teams and battle for the prestige and ownership of Gyms with your Pokémon at your side.

Pokémon are out there, and you need to find them. As you walk around a neighborhood, your smartphone will vibrate when there’s a Pokémon nearby. Take aim and throw a Poké Ball… You’ll have to stay alert, or it might get away!

Search far and wide for Pokémon and items

Certain Pokémon appear near their native environment—look for Water-type Pokémon by lakes and oceans. Visit PokéStops, found at interesting places like museums, art installations, historical markers, and monuments, to stock up on Poké Balls and helpful items.

Catching, hatching, evolving, and more

As you level up, you’ll be able to catch more-powerful Pokémon to complete your Pokédex. You can add to your collection by hatching Pokémon Eggs based on the distances you walk. Help your Pokémon evolve by catching many of the same kind.

Take on Gym battles and defend your Gym

As your Charmander evolves to Charmeleon and then Charizard, you can battle together to defeat a Gym and assign your Pokémon to defend it against all comers.

It’s time to get moving—your real-life adventures await!

Note: This app is free-to-play and is optimized for smartphones, not tablets.

Gameplay

Encountering a wild Rattata, with AR mode disabled

In the game, wild Pokémon appear on a map of the real world, with the player moving in the game by travelling in the real world. When a Pokémon is nearby, the player's phone vibrates. The player can encounter a nearby Pokémon by tapping it in the Map View. Different kinds of Pokémon will appear in different environments; for example, Water-type Pokémon are more common near water. The player is assisted by Professor Willow throughout the game. Players can login using a Pokémon Trainer Club account or a Google account.

In a wild encounter, the player attempts to capture a wild Pokémon in a Poké Ball before it runs away. Unlike in the core series games, these encounters do not involve battle. At higher levels, the player can use Razz Berries to make wild Pokémon easier to catch or use more powerful Poké Balls like Great Balls and Ultra Ball. While holding a press on a Poké Ball, a ring will appear around the Pokémon. This ring shrinks over time; once it reaches its smallest size it immediately returns to full size and the cycle repeats. If the Poké Ball is thrown while the ring is very small, the capture is more likely to be successful.

The game can be played as an augmented reality (AR) game, so that in wild encounters and Gym battles the Pokémon appear to be in the real world when looking at the smart device's screen. However, it is also possible to disable this functionality, which saves battery power and is necessary on some devices which do not support AR.

Catching and hatching Pokémon earns the player Candy, which can be spent to evolve or Power Up Pokémon. Each evolutionary family has its own type of Candy (Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan have separate Candy), so in order to evolve a Pokémon the player needs to catch a number of Pokémon from that same evolutionary family. If a player wants to get rid of a Pokémon, they can transfer it to Professor Willow, who will permanently keep the Pokémon but give 1 Candy in return. Catching and hatching Pokémon also earns the player Stardust, which also needs to be expended to Power Up Pokémon; unlike Candy, there is only one type of Stardust for all Pokémon.

There are two main types of locations in Pokémon GO: PokéStops and Gyms. PokéStops and Gyms exist at pre-defined real world locations, and the player must be within range of them in order to interact with them (although they can be inspected as long as they shown up in the Map View). Players can obtain items and Eggs by visiting PokéStops, whereas players fight for control of Gyms.

Players can customize their appearance, such as clothing and accessories, which can be shown to other players. Pokémon Trainers collect XP from performing various actions, such as catching Pokémon, which allows them to increase their Trainer level. Leveling up rewards the player with items, and some levels unlock features of the game. Wild Pokémon encountered by Trainers at higher levels are more likely to have higher CP. The maximum number of times an individual Pokémon can be Powered Up increases with the Trainer's level.

PokéCoins can be obtained in-game or via in-app purchases with real money. They can be traded for extra items and other enhancements.

Available Pokémon

Only Pokémon introduced in Generation I and some II baby Pokémon are available in the game. Evolved Pokémon can be caught in the wild, but currently Legendary and Mythical Pokémon have not been found in the wild. Ditto was not made available until November 23, 2016. Baby Pokémon were released along with a limited edition Pikachu with a Santa hat on December 12, 2016. Pokémon from other generations may be made available in the future.

On February 15, 2017, The Pokémon Company announced that over 80 Pokémon from Generation II would become available with an update to be released later that week. The Generation II Pokémon shown in the advertisement were Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, Espeon, Umbreon, Bellossom, Marill, and Hoppip. On February 16, 2017, the Johto Pokémon were released.

The player may choose from the three Kanto starter Pokémon at the beginning of the game: Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. If the player walks away from the starter Pokémon four times, Pikachu will also appear as a possible starter Pokémon. These Pokémon may also be found in the wild later on.

Which Pokémon Eevee evolves into is normally random. However, if Eevee is nicknamed after one of the Eevee brothers before evolving, it will evolve into their respective evolution: Sparky for Jolteon, Rainer for Vaporeon, and Pyro for Flareon. If Eevee is named after two of the Kimono girls, it will evolve into their respective evolution: Sakura for Espeon, and Tamao for Umbreon. This can only be done once per evolution.

Farfetch'd, Kangaskhan, Mr. Mime, and Tauros appear to be region-exclusive, currently only being found in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America, respectively.

Locations

There are two main types of locations in Pokémon GO: PokéStops and Gyms. PokéStops and Gyms exist at pre-defined real world locations, and the player must be within range of them in order to interact with them (although they can be inspected as long as they shown up in the Map View).

The locations of PokéStops and Gyms are based on a selection of portals from the Niantic game Ingress. Until 2015, Ingress players could submit proposals for portals which subsequently had to be approved by Niantic.

PokéStops allow players to obtain items and Eggs by spinning the Photo Disc. At Gyms, players can battle to weaken those belonging to opposing teams or strengthen those belonging to their own team; a player can earn Stardust and PokéCoins by holding onto Gyms. PokéStops are much more common than Gyms.

Depending on where a player lives, PokéStops and Gyms may be very common or very sparse, tending to be more common in urban areas due to a higher population density resulting in more Ingress players in those areas. If there are no nearby PokéStops, the player can only obtain Poké Balls by leveling up or purchasing them with PokéCoins; if there are no nearby Gyms, the player can only obtain PokéCoins by purchasing them with real currency.

Teams

The Team Leaders, Candela, Blanche and Spark.

After the player reaches level 5, they can choose a team by tapping a Gym. There are three teams: Team Instinct (yellow) whose leader is Spark, Team Mystic (blue) whose leader is Blanche, and Team Valor (red) whose leader is Candela. A Gym can only be controlled by one team at a time. If a Gym is controlled by the player's team, they can train at it and add one of their own Pokémon to defend it. If a Gym is controlled by a rival team, the player can battle it to decrease its Prestige; when a Gym's Prestige reaches zero, any nearby player can claim it for their own team.

Pokémon Appraisal, added in version 0.35.0 (labelled version 1.5.0 on the iOS App Store), has the chosen Team's leader detail a Pokémon's stats much like a stats judge in the core series. They describe how good the Pokémon would be in a battle, which of its three stats is its highest, and how good its stats are overall. They will also note if the Pokémon's height or weight is particularly far from the average listed in the Pokédex.

Emblem	Team	Color	Legendary bird	Leader	Description
	Instinct	Yellow	Zapdos	Spark	Hey! The name's Spark — the leader of Team Instinct. Pokemon are creatures with excellent intuition. I bet the secret to their intuition is related to how they're hatched. Come and join my team! You never lose when you trust your instincts!
	Mystic	Blue	Articuno	Blanche	I am Blanche, leader of Team Mystic. The wisdom of Pokemon is immeasurably deep. I am researching why it is that they evolve. With our calm analysis of every situation, we can't lose!
	Valor	Red	Moltres	Candela	I'm Candela — Team Valor's leader! Pokemon are stronger than humans, and they're warmhearted, too! I'm researching ways to enhance Pokemon's natural power in the pursuit of true strength. There's no doubt that the Pokemon our team have trained at the strongest in battle! Are you ready?

PokéCoins

A PokéCoin

Main article: PokéCoin

PokéCoins are the in-app currency used in Pokémon GO. There are two ways of obtaining PokéCoins: the Gym Defender bonus or by purchasing them with real money.

To obtain the Defender bonus, the player must open the Shop menu and tap the shield icon while they have a Pokémon in at least one Gym. They will earn Stardust and 10 PokéCoins for each Gym they currently hold, being able to obtain this bonus once every 21 hours.

Items

Key Items

The following items are in the player's Bag by default. They have no quantity and cannot be tossed.

Image	English name	Japanese name	Description
	Camera	カメラ Camera	When you encounter Pokémon in the wild, you can use your camera to photograph them.
	Egg Incubator ∞	ムゲンふかそうち Infinite Egg Incubator	A device that incubates an Egg as you walk until it is ready to hatch. Unlimited use!

Standard items

These items can be obtained at PokéStops, by leveling up, or by purchasing them from the shop (which methods are possible varies between items). The player also starts with several standard items in their Bag.

Image	English name	Japanese name	Unlock requirements	Description
	Potion	キズぐすり Wound Medicine	Level 5	A spray-type medicine for treating wounds. It restores the HP of one Pokémon by 20 points.
	Super Potion	いいキズぐすり Good Wound Medicine	Level 10	A spray-type medicine for treating wounds. It restores the HP of one Pokémon by 50 points.
	Hyper Potion	すごいキズぐすり Amazing Wound Medicine	Level 15	A spray-type medicine for treating wounds. It restores the HP of one Pokémon by 200 points.
	Max Potion	まんたんのくすり Tank-Filling Medicine	Level 25	A spray-type medicine for treating wounds. It will completely restore the max HP of a single Pokémon.
	Revive	げんきのかけら Vitality Fragment	Level 5	A medicine that can revive fainted Pokémon. It also restores half of a fainted Pokémon's maximum HP.
	Max Revive	げんきのかたまり Vitality Clump	Level 30	A medicine that can revive fainted Pokémon. It also fully restores a fainted Pokémon's maximum HP.
	Lucky Egg	しあわせタマゴ Lucky Egg	None	A Lucky Egg that's filled with happiness! Earns double XP for 30 minutes.
	Incense	おこう Incense	None	Incense with a mysterious fragrance that lures wild Pokémon to your location for 30 minutes.
	Poké Ball	モンスターボール Monster Ball	None	A device for caching wild Pokémon. It's thrown like a ball at a Pokémon, comfortably encapsulating its target.
	Great Ball	スーパーボール Super Ball	Level 12	A good, high-performance Poké Ball that provides a higher catch rate than a standard Poké Ball.
	Ultra Ball	ハイパーボール Hyper Ball	Level 20	An ultra-high performance Poké Ball that provides a higher catch rate than a Great Ball.
	Lure Module	ルアーモジュール Lure Module	None	A module that attracts Pokémon to a PokéStop for 30 min. The effect benefits other people nearby.
	Razz Berry	ズリのみ Zuri Fruit	Level 8	Feed this to a Pokémon, and it will be easier to catch on your next throw.
	Egg Incubator	ふかそうち Incubator	None	A device that incubates an Egg as you walk until it is ready to hatch. Breaks after 3 uses.

Upgrades

These are upgrades that increase the storage capacity of certain aspects of the game. They can be purchased with PokéCoins.

Image	English name	Japanese name	Description
	Bag Upgrade	パックアップグレード Pack Upgrade	Increases the max number of items you can carry by 50.
	Pokémon Storage Upgrade	ポケモンボックスアップグレード Pokémon Box Upgrade	Increases the max number of Pokémon you can carry by 50.

Experience

Main article: Experience → Pokémon GO

In Pokémon GO, the player earns experience (abbreviated XP), rather than the Pokémon. As the player gains experience they gain levels. Leveling up awards the player with items, and certain levels unlock particular items. After reaching level 5, the player can choose a team, which allows them to use Gyms. As the player's level increases, their Pokémon are able to achieve a higher Combat Power as the player powers them up.

Eggs

A 2 km egg in Pokémon GO (originally used for Eggs of all distances)

Main article: Pokémon Egg → Pokémon GO

The player can obtain Eggs at PokéStops. An Egg will hatch after traveling a certain distance while the Egg is in an incubator. Three Egg distances are possible: 2 km, 5 km, and 10 km. Each species has a set Egg distance and can only hatch from Eggs with this distance.

Buddy

By assigning a Buddy Pokémon, the player can get additional candies for that species of Pokémon as it walks. Depending on the species, one can get candies every 1 km, 3 km or 5 km walked. One can only have one Buddy at a time, and by changing the Buddy the progress made is lost, but the candies earned are kept.

Medals

Main article: Medal → Pokémon GO

The game has challenges that award medals upon completion. Medals can be viewed from a player's profile.

Shop

PokéCoins

PokéCoins can be purchased with real money at the following rates.

Image	PokéCoins	United States	Canada	Eurozone	United Kingdom	Australia	New Zealand	Japan	Hong Kong	Taiwan
	100	$0.99	$1.39	€0.99	£0.79	$1.49	$1.49	¥120	$8.00	$30
	550	$4.99	$6.99	€4.99	£3.99	$7.99	$7.49	¥600	$38.00	$150
	1,200	$9.99	$13.99	€9.99	£7.99	$14.99	$14.99	¥1200	$78.00	$300
	2,500	$19.99	$27.99	€19.99	£14.99	$30.99	$29.99	¥2400	$158.00	$590
	5,200	$39.99	$54.99	€39.99	£29.99	$62.99	$59.99	¥4800	$318.00	$1,190
	14,500	$99.99	$139.99	€99.99	£79.99	$159.99	$149.99	¥11,800	$788.00	$2,990

Items

PokéCoins can be exchanged for in-game items at the following rates:

Image	Item	Purchase	Cost	Effect
	Poké Ball	20 Poké Balls	100 PokéCoins	Standard Poké Balls to catch wild Pokémon!
		100 Poké Balls	460 PokéCoins
		200 Poké Balls	800 PokéCoins
	Incense	1 Incense	80 PokéCoins	Incense with a mysterious fragrance that lures wild Pokémon to your location for 30 minutes.
		8 Incense	500 PokéCoins
		25 Incense	1250 PokéCoins
	Lucky Egg	1 Lucky Egg	80 PokéCoins	A Lucky Egg that's filled with happiness! Earns double XP for 30 minutes.
		8 Lucky Eggs	500 PokéCoins
		25 Lucky Eggs	1250 PokéCoins
	Lure Module	1 Lure Module	100 PokéCoins	Modules that attracts Pokémon to a PokéStop for 30 min. The effect benefits other people nearby.
		8 Lure Modules	680 PokéCoins
	Egg Incubator	1 Egg Incubator	150 PokéCoins	A device that incubates an Egg as you walk until it is ready to hatch. Breaks after 3 uses.
	Bag Upgrade	1 Bag Upgrade	200 PokéCoins	Increases the max number of items you can carry by 50.
	Pokémon Storage Upgrade	1 Pokémon Storage Upgrade	200 PokéCoins	Increases the max number of Pokémon you can carry by 50.

Limited-time items

The following items are only available for a limited time:

Image	Item	Purchase	Cost	Availability
	Special Box	10 Great Balls, 2 Egg Incubators	250 PokéCoins	December 25 to 30, 2016
	Great Box	20 Great Balls, 2 Incense, 4 Egg Incubators	550 PokéCoins	December 25 to 30, 2016
	Ultra Box	20 Ultra Balls, 25 Incense, 6 Egg Incubators	1500 PokéCoins	December 25 to 30, 2016
	Bronze Box	100 Poké Balls, 8 Lure Modules	460 PokéCoins	December 30, 2016 to January 3, 2017
	Silver Box	8 Incense, 8 Lucky Eggs, 8 Lure Modules	980 PokéCoins	December 30, 2016 to January 3, 2017
	Gold Box	50 Great Balls, 25 Incense, 25 Lucky Eggs, 16 Lure Modules	2480 PokéCoins	December 30, 2016 to January 3, 2017

Music

Some of the music in Pokémon GO was composed by Junichi Masuda. The music as well as the sound effects can be turned off in the settings of the app.

Version history

iOS

In-game version	App Store version	Release date	Changes
0.29.0	1.0	July 6, 2016	Initial release
0.29.1	1.0.1	July 12, 2016	Trainers do not to have to enter their username and password repeatedly after a force log out Added stability to Pokémon Trainer Club account log-in process Resolved issues causing crashes Fixed Google account scope
0.29.2	1.0.2	July 13, 2016	Fixes for Pokemon Trainer Club login
0.29.3	1.0.3	July 20, 2016	Minor text fixes.
0.31.0	1.1.0	July 30, 2016	Avatars can be re-customized from the profile screen Adjusted battle damage calculation and some moves's damage values* Refined certain Gym animations Improved memory issues Removed footprints from nearby Pokémon screen Bug fixes during wild Pokémon encounters Updated Pokémon details UI Updated achievement medal art Minor text and map feature display issues fixed
0.31.1	1.1.1	August 1, 2016	Performance improvement in Pokémon details and list screens. Correct link for app upgrade.
0.33.0	1.3.0	August 8, 2016	Added dialog to remind Trainers to not play while traveling above a certain speed; Trainers must confirm they are not driving Improved the accuracy of curveball throws Fixed bug that prevented "Nice", "Great", and "Excellent" Poké Ball throws from awarding the appropriate XP bonuses Fixed achievements showing incorrect icons Enabled the ability for Trainers to change their nickname one time Resolved issues with battery saver mode and re-enabled the feature Added visuals for Team Leaders Candela, Blanche, and Spark Enabled a variation of the Nearby Pokémon feature for a subset of users to test; changes in the Nearby Pokémon UI may occur Minor text fixes
0.33.0	1.3.1	August 11, 2016	Stability improvements No text fixes
0.35.0	1.5.0	August 23, 2016	Added Pokémon Appraisal Fixed bug that kept defeated Pokémon at 1 HP instead of fainting
0.37.0	1.7.0	September 13, 2016	Implemented Buddy Pokémon Made it easier to select smaller Pokémon on the screen. Fixed an issue where Eggs would sometimes hatch without displaying the animation. Improved performance reliability when a device switches networks to no longer cause the application to hang or stop updating. Pokémon GO Plus support Minor text fixes.
0.37.1	1.7.1	September 16, 2016	Pokémon GO Plus stability improvement Added quick help when first connected to Pokémon GO Plus Minor text fixes
0.39.0	1.9.0	September 24, 2016	Capture location: The location where a Pokémon was caught will now be displayed on their information screen. Pokémon GO Plus and Incense: Trainers can attempt to capture Pokémon they encounter from using Incense with the Pokémon GO Plus accessory. Fixed a bug that caused some users to get stuck on the loading screen, even after restarting the app. Fixed a bug where the camera sometimes moved at slow speeds during battle. Minor bug fixes
0.41.2	1.11.2	October 12, 2016	Catch Bonus: Trainers can earn a catch bonus for a Pokémon type as they catch more of a specific type. Updated Gym Training: Trainers can now bring six Pokémon to battle at friendly Gyms. The CP of the Pokémon you are battling may be temporarily adjusted lower for your training session. Egg & Incubator Screens: These will periodically update the distance walked without the Trainer needing to close and reopen the screen. Fixed several audio issues. Decreased the evolution animation time. Minor fixes
0.41.4	1.11.4	October 14, 2016	Minor fixes
0.43.3	1.13.3	October 24, 2016	Professor Willow discovered that Eggs have different patterns depending on the distance required to hatch them. Pokémon type icons have been added to the information screen for each Pokémon. Low battery indicator added for the Pokémon GO Plus. Minor text fixes
0.43.4	1.13.4	October 26, 2016	Minor bug fixes
0.45.0	1.15.0	November 7, 2016	You’ll earn bonuses for the first Pokémon catch and PokéStop visit each day. You’ll receive a larger bonus when you do this seven days in a row. When you defeat the Gym Leader at a rival Gym, there will be a brief period of time where only you will be able to place a Pokémon in the open Gym. The amount of Prestige a rival Gym loses when you defeat a regular Gym member has increased. The amount of Prestige gained by training at a friendly Gym has been lowered. Minor text fixes
0.47.1	1.17.0	November 19, 2016	Fixed an issue where the Egg-hatching cutscene animation would sometimes be briefly visible from the map view. Minor text fixes
0.49.1	1.19.1	December 8, 2016	Trainers will be able to transfer multiple Pokémon at a time to Professor Willow. To use this function, press and hold on a Pokémon. Pokémon type icons have been added to the Gym battle approach and Gym battle screen. The total Candy count for your Buddy Pokémon has been added to the buddy information screen. The total kilometers a buddy has walked has been added to the information screen of each Pokémon that has ever been your buddy. Minor text fixes.
0.51.0	1.21.0	December 20, 2016	The bug that caused incorrect vibration notifications has been fixed. Day and night modes have changed to more accurately reflect the Trainer’s current time of day. Minor text fixes.
0.51.2	1.21.2	December 22, 2016	Pokémon GO for Apple Watch Minor text fixes
0.53.1	1.23.1	January 18, 2017	Updated Apple Watch to display Eggs obtained from PokéStops Changed distance tracking to better account for GPS drift Minor text fixes.
0.53.2	1.23.2	January 23, 2017	Added Korean language support
0.55.0	1.25.0	January 28, 2017	Integrated iOS wheelchair support for use with Apple Watch. Minor text fixes.
0.57.2	1.27.2	February 16, 2017	Added Poké Ball and Berry selection carousels to the encounter screen. Added new night-mode map and encounter music. Implemented Apple Watch connection stability improvement. Various bug fixes. Minor text fixes.

Android

Version	Release date	Changes
0.29.0	July 6, 2016	Initial release
0.29.2	July 13, 2016	Support added for Intel CPUs Works on devices running Android N (7.0) Trainers do not to have to enter their username and password repeatedly after a force log out Increased server stability Resolved many issues causing crashes Pokémon Trainer Club login issues resolved
0.29.3	July 20, 2016	Minor text fixes.
0.31.0	July 30, 2016	Avatars can now be re-customized from the Trainer profile screen Adjusted battle move damage values for some Pokémon* Refined certain Gym animations Improved memory issues Removed footprints of nearby Pokémon Modified battle damage calculation Various bug fixes during wild Pokémon encounter Updated Pokémon details screen Updated achievement medal images Fixed issues with displaying certain map features Minor text fixes
0.33.0	August 8, 2016	Added notice to remind Trainers to not play while traveling above a certain speed; Trainers have to indicate they aren't the driver Fixed bug that prevented "Nice", "Great", and "Excellent" Poké Ball throws from awarding the appropriate XP bonuses Enabled ability for Trainers to change nickname one time Quick Start removed from settings Other fixes
0.35.0	August 23, 2016	Added Pokémon Appraisal Fixed bug that kept defeated Pokémon at 1 HP instead of fainting Minor bot fixes
0.37.0	September 13, 2016	Implemented Buddy Pokémon Made it easier to select smaller Pokémon on the screen. Fixed an issue where Eggs would sometimes hatch without displaying the animation. Improved performance reliability when a device switches networks to no longer cause the application to hang or stop updating. Pokémon GO Plus support Minor text fixes.
0.37.1	September 16, 2016	Pokémon GO Plus stability improvement Added quick help when first connected to Pokémon GO Plus Minor text fixes
0.39.0	September 24, 2016	Capture location: The location where a Pokémon was caught will now be displayed on their information screen. Pokémon GO Plus and Incense: Trainers can attempt to capture Pokémon they encounter from using Incense with the Pokémon GO Plus accessory. Fixed a bug that caused some users to get stuck on the loading screen, even after restarting the app. Fixed a bug where the camera sometimes moved at slow speeds during battle. Minor bug fixes
0.39.1	September 27, 2016	Minor text fixes
0.41.3	October 12, 2016	Catch Bonus: Trainers can earn a catch bonus for a Pokémon type as they catch more of a specific type. Updated Gym Training: Trainers can now bring six Pokémon to battle at friendly Gyms. The CP of the Pokémon you are battling may be temporarily adjusted lower for your training session. Egg & Incubator Screens: These will periodically update the distance walked without the Trainer needing to close and reopen the screen. Audio fixes Decreased the evolution animation time Minor fixes
0.41.4	October 12, 2016	Minor fixes
0.43.3	October 24, 2016	Professor Willow discovered that Eggs have different patterns depending on the distance required to hatch them. Pokémon type icons have been added to the information screen for each Pokémon. Low battery indicator added for the Pokémon GO Plus. Minor text fixes
0.43.4	October 25, 2016	Minor bug fixes
0.45.0	November 7, 2016	You’ll earn bonuses for the first Pokémon catch and PokéStop visit each day. You’ll receive a larger bonus when you do this seven days in a row. When you defeat the Gym Leader at a rival Gym, there will be a brief period of time where only you will be able to place a Pokémon in the open Gym. The amount of Prestige a rival Gym loses when you defeat a regular Gym member has increased. The amount of Prestige gained by training at a friendly Gym has been lowered. Minor text fixes
0.47.1	November 19, 2016	Fixed an issue where the Egg-hatching cutscene animation would sometimes be briefly visible from the map view. Minor text fixes
0.49.1	December 8, 2016	Trainers will be able to transfer multiple Pokémon at a time to Professor Willow. To use this function, press and hold on a Pokémon. Pokémon type icons have been added to the Gym battle approach and Gym battle screen. The total Candy count for your Buddy Pokémon has been added to the buddy information screen. The total kilometers a buddy has walked has been added to the information screen of each Pokémon that has ever been your buddy. Minor text fixes.
0.51.0	December 20, 2016	The bug that caused incorrect vibration notifications has been fixed. Day and night modes have changed to more accurately reflect the Trainer’s current time of day. Minor text fixes.
0.53.1	January 18, 2017	Updated Apple Watch to display Eggs obtained from PokéStops Changed distance tracking to better account for GPS drift Minor text fixes.
0.53.2	January 23, 2017	Added Korean language support
0.55.0	January 28, 2017	Reduced the starting load time on Android devices. Resolved Android connectivity issues for the Pokémon GO Plus accessory. Minor text fixes.
0.57.2	February 16, 2017	Added Poké Ball and Berry selection carousels to the encounter screen. Added new night-mode map and encounter music. Various bug fixes. Minor text fixes.

Compatibility

Pokémon GO requires an internet connection (Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G) and GPS/location services. According to the official support site, the game can be played on:

• Android devices: Android 4.4+ (rooted devices are not supported), preferred resolution of 720×1280 pixels (not optimized for tablet)
• iOS devices: iPhone 5 and newer, iOS 8 and newer (jailbroken devices are not supported)
  • Apple Watch will be supported late 2016, with the Apple Watch's fitness tracking functions integrated into the game.

However, the game is also playable on some iOS and Android devices that are not officially supported.

Connectivity

Pokémon GO currently has no connectivity with other Pokémon games. However, Junichi Masuda has stated that the developers plan to add connectivity with the next entry in the core series Pokémon games.

Partnerships

This article is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this article to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Partnerships in Japan

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Due to the popularity of Pokémon GO, the game has partnered with several other companies to offer special promotions. These partnerships often involve sponsored locations, wherein stores affiliated with the partner company become PokéStops and Gyms; sponsored locations do not appear in the game for players under the age of 13.

Pokémon GO partnered with Starbucks in the United States. Starting December 8, 2016, 7,800 company-operated Starbucks stores in the United States have been made into PokéStops and Gyms. Additionally, Starbucks is selling a special-edition Pokémon GO Frappuccino as part of this partnership; the Pokémon GO Frappuccino starts with a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino blended beverage and raspberry syrup blended with freeze-dried whole blackberries and topped with whipped cream.

Pokémon GO partnered with Sprint in the United States. Starting December 7, 2016, 10,500 Sprint, Boost Mobile and Sprint at Radioshack stores in the United States are becoming PokéStops and Gyms. Sprint locations also feature in-store charging stations to allow Pokémon GO players to charge their devices.

Pokémon GO partnered with Reliance Jio Infocomm (which operates under the name Jio) in India. Starting December 13, 2016, nearly 3,000 Jio stores (thousands of Reliance Digital stores according to Jio's press release) and select partner premises in India will become PokéStops or Gyms in the Pokémon GO, as well as offering charging stations for players. On Jio's social messaging app, JioChat, Pokémon players have access to an exclusive Pokémon GO channel to allow them to collaborate and be part of a community of players with daily tips, contests, clues, and special events. During Jio's "Happy New Year" offer, Jio SIM customers will be able to download and play Pokémon GO without incurring data charges, like any other apps and content, until March 31, 2017.

Development

The game was conceived by John Hanke after the development of Niantic's Ingress. It was decided that a game based on Pokémon would be a good choice, due to its focus on collecting the titular creatures. Hanke brought the idea to the Pokémon Company and talked with Mr. Isihara. Development began. Junichi Masuda worked with Niantic on the game's development.

An Ingress Report released on September 10, 2015, the day of the game's announcement, stated that a closed beta would occur during Northern Hemisphere winter 2015 and that the game would be released in early 2016. However, no beta testing occurred during 2015.

Field tests were held in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States prior to the game's public release. Selected applicants were given the opportunity to test the game.

• Japan: held from March 29 to June 30, 2016, announced on March 3, 2016
• Australia and New Zealand: held from April 25 to June 30, 2016, announced on April 7, 2016
• United States: held from May 25 to June 30, 2016, announced on May 16, 2016

A session at the Game Developers Conference featuring the game was intended to be held by Niantic CEO John Hanke on March 14, 2016, but was later cancelled due to Niantic preparing the game for beta testing and launch.

Release

Unlike previous Pokémon games for mobile devices, Pokémon GO was released on a staggered schedule, releasing initially to only to a few select countries. After its initial release on July 6, 2016, additional releases were put on hold due to server issues, but resumed on July 13, 2016, with the app's release in Germany. France was supposed to receive the app alongside other European countries, but the official release in the country was postponed due to the 2016 Nice attack.

So far, Pokémon GO has been released in all countries with access to the iOS App Store or Google Play Store, except for Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, mainland China, Tunisia, Algeria, Mali, Senegal, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Congo, Angola, and Zimbabwe.

Date	Locations
July 6, 2016	Australia, New Zealand
	United States
July 13, 2016	Germany
July 14, 2016	United Kingdom
July 15, 2016	Italy, Portugal, Spain
July 16, 2016	Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland
July 17, 2016	Canada
July 19, 2016	Puerto Rico
July 22, 2016	Japan
July 24, 2016	France
July 25, 2016	Hong Kong
August 3, 2016	Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela
August 5, 2016 August 6, 2016	Aruba, Brunei, Cambodia, Curaçao, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Sint Maarten, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Thailand, Turks and Caicos Islands, Vietnam
September 30, 2016	Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macau, Macedonia, Serbia
October 1, 2016	Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
October 4, 2016 October 5, 2016	Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Chad, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia
November 18, 2016	Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates
December 14, 2016	Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
January 24, 2017	South Korea
TBA*	Russia

Gallery

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Trivia

• This is the only Pokémon game to have the word "Pokémon" spelled in Latin letters in its Japanese name.
• Pokémon GO has been banned in Iran and China due to security concerns. However, some Iranians are still playing the game publicly regardless.

In other languages

Language Title Japanese Pokémon GO Chinese Cantonese Pokémon GO Mandarin Pokémon GO French Pokémon GO German Pokémon GO Italian Pokémon GO Korean Pokémon GO Spanish Pokémon GO

See also

• List of moves in Pokémon GO
• List of Pokémon by base stats (Pokémon GO)
• Google Maps: Pokémon Challenge
• Pokémon GO Player's Guide

External links

• Offical website
• Offical Facebook page
• Offical Twitter account
• Offical YouTube channel
• Offical Google+ page

• Official teaser
• Official trailer
• Pokémon GO announcement press conference

References

Other spin-off Pokémon games Nintendo DS: Learn with Pokémon: Typing Adventure Pokémon Conquest • PokéPark: Fishing Rally DS Nintendo 3DS: Pokédex 3D (Pro) • HarmoKnight • Pokémon Art Academy The Thieves and the 1000 Pokémon • Pokémon Shuffle Nintendo Badge Arcade Wii U: Pokkén Tournament Nintendo Switch: Pokkén Tournament DX • Pokémon Quest • Pokémon Café ReMix • Pokémon UNITE • Pokémon TV PC: Pokémon Project Studio Red and Blue • PokéROMs • Pokémon the Movie 2000 Adventure Pokémon Masters Arena • Pokémon PC Master • Pokémon Team Turbo Pokémon Team Rocket Blast Off • Pokémon Poké Ball Launcher • Pokémon Seek & Find Pokémon Garden • Pokémon Medallion Battle • Pokémon Tower Battle Pokémon Scoop Disc (2004 Winter, 2004 Summer, 2006 Spring) Mobile: Pokémate • Pokémon Say Tap? • Pokédex for iOS • Pokémon TV • Camp Pokémon • Pokémon Jukebox Learn Real English Through Pokémon: XY Translation Scope • Pokémon Shuffle Mobile Dancing? Pokémon Band • Pokémon Photo Booth • Pokémon GO • Pokémon Duel Pokémon: Magikarp Jump • Pokémon Playhouse • Pokémon Quest • Pokémon Pass • Pokémon Masters EX Pokémon Wave Hello • Pokémon Smile • Pokémon Café ReMix • Pokémon UNITE • Pokémon Sleep Smart speakers: Pikachu Talk Arcade: Print Club Pokémon B • Dance! Pikachu • Pikachu's Great Surfing Adventure • Pokémon: Crayon Kids Pokémon: Wobbuffet Fell Down! • Pokémon Get Round and Round Pokémon Tug of War Tournament: Absolutely Get Medal! • Pokémon Medal World Pokémon Card Game Gacha • Pokémon: Battle Nine • Pokkén Tournament • Pokémon Corogarena Sega Pico: Pokémon: Catch the Numbers! Pokémon Advanced Generation: I've Begun Hiragana and Katakana! Pokémon Advanced Generation: Pico for Everyone Pokémon Loud Battle! CoCoPad: Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation: Pokémon Super Drill Let's Learn Numbers from 1 to 20!! Advanced Pico Beena: Pokémon Advanced Generation: Pokémon Number Battle! Intellectual Training Drill Pokémon Diamond & Pearl: Letter and Number Intelligence Game Pokémon Diamond & Pearl: Search for Pokémon! Adventure in the Maze! Pokémon Best Wishes: Intelligence Training Pokémon Big Sports Meet! Tech demos: Pikachu: DS Tech Demo Self-contained: Pokémon Pikachu • Pokémon Pikachu 2 GS • Pokémon Poké Ball • Cyber Poké Ball Cyber Pokédex • Cyclone 2 • Digital Poké Ball D & P • Electronic Hand-Held Yahtzee Eevee × Tamagotchi Pokémon game templates Core series • Side series • Spin-off series • Pokémon mini • Individual spin-offs • Betas • Demos

This article is part of Project Sidegames, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon Sidegames.