Pokémon GO
- If you were looking for the song, see Pokémon Go! (song).
Pokémon GO Pokémon GO | |
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Pokémon GO logo | |
Basic info
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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
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CERO: | N/A |
ESRB: | E |
ACB: | PG |
OFLC: | N/A |
PEGI: | 3 |
GRAC: | 3 |
GSRR: | N/A |
Release dates
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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: | N/A[1] |
Hong Kong: | July 25, 2016 |
Taiwan: | August 6, 2016 |
Websites
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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 the Americas, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and most of Europe on a staggered schedule starting on July 6, 2016, and is scheduled to be released in Russia soon.
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, an upcoming Bluetooth device that allows players to enjoy the game without looking at their phone.
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
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.
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 are currently available in the game. Evolved Pokémon can be caught in the wild, but currently Ditto, Legendary and Mythical Pokémon have not been found in the wild. Pokémon from other generations may be made available in the future.[2]
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.[3]
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 will 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
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 |
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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
- 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
This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Japanese names |
Key Items
The following items are in the player's Bag by default. They have no quantity and cannot be tossed.
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 |
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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 | Level 10 | A spray-type medicine for treating wounds. It restores the HP of one Pokémon by 50 points. | ||
Hyper Potion | Level 15 | A spray-type medicine for treating wounds. It restores the HP of one Pokémon by 200 points. | ||
Max Potion | 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 | 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 | 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.
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
- 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.
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.
Items
PokéCoins can be exchanged for in-game items at the following rates:
Image | Item | Purchase | Cost | Effect |
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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. | |
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 |
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0.29.0 | 1.0 | July 6, 2016 |
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0.29.1 | 1.0.1 | July 12, 2016 |
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0.29.2 | 1.0.2 | July 13, 2016 |
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0.29.3 | 1.0.3 | July 20, 2016 |
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0.31.0 | 1.1.0 | July 30, 2016 |
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0.31.1 | 1.1.1 | August 1, 2016 |
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0.33.0 | 1.3.0 | August 8, 2016 |
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0.33.0 | 1.3.1 | August 11, 2016 |
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0.35.0 | 1.5.0 | August 23, 2016 |
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Android
Version | Release date | Changes |
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0.29.0 | July 6, 2016 |
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0.29.2 | July 13, 2016 |
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0.29.3 | July 20, 2016 |
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0.31.0 | July 30, 2016 |
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0.33.0 | August 8, 2016 |
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0.35.0 | August 23, 2016 |
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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:[5]
- Android devices: Android 4.4 to Android 6.0.1, preferred resolution of 720×1280 pixels (not optimized for tablet)
- Android N will not be supported until the official Android release
- iOS devices: iPhone 5 and newer, iOS 8 and newer (jailbroken devices are not supported)
- Apple Watch will be supported late 2016[6], 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.[7][8]
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.[9] However, no beta testing occurred during 2015.[10][11]
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[12][13]
- Australia and New Zealand: held from April 25 to June 30, 2016, announced on April 7, 2016[14]
- United States: held from May 25 to June 30, 2016, announced on May 16, 2016[15]
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.[16]
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.[17]
Date | Locations | |
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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, 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 | Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Turks and Caicos Islands | |
August 6, 2016 | Brunei, Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam | |
August 2016 | Liechtenstein | |
2016 | Russia | |
Gallery
Trivia
- This is the only Pokémon game to have the word "Pokémon" spelled in Latin letters in its Japanese name.
- Because the game currently only features Pokémon introduced in Generation I, it is possible to hatch Pikachu, Clefairy, Jigglypuff, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, Jynx, Electabuzz, and Magmar from Eggs despite them being evolved Pokémon, since their pre-evolutions were introduced in later generations.
- Because the game only features Pokémon introduced in Generation I, no Dark-type Pokémon can be obtained.
- Pokémon GO has been banned in Iran due to security concerns.[18] However, some Iranians are still playing the game publicly regardless.[19]
- Pokemon GO was built on the same engine as Ingress.
- Pokemon GO is based on the Google earth Pokemon challenge.
- Pokemon GO uses the same Pokemon models as Pokemon X and Y along with the same animations with upgraded graphics.
In other languages
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See also
External links
- Offical website
- Offical Facebook page
- Offical Twitter account
- Offical YouTube channel
- Offical Google+ page
References
- ↑ Pokémon Korea
- ↑ Pokémon GO - Demonstration - Nintendo E3 2016
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/pokemongo/comments/4t0cpo/psa_how_to_force_your_eevee_to_evolve_into_your/?st=iqo9zize&sh=66e8bdd1
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/PokemonGO/posts/927439090735983
- ↑ Supported devices – Pokémon GO
- ↑ Apple Watch compatibility announcement - Niantic Labs
- ↑ Pokémon GO - Demonstration - Nintendo E3 2016 (YouTube)
- ↑ News From the Pokémon GO Announcement - Pokemon.com
- ↑ INGRESS REPORT - Begin New Journey - Raw Feed September 10 2015
- ↑ Pokémon GO - Pokemon.com (archived February 7, 2016)
- ↑ 『Pokémon GO』のベータテストについて |ポケットモンスターオフィシャルサイト
- ↑ Pokémon GO - Pokemon.com (archived March 3, 2016)
- ↑ Pokémon GO field testing will begin in Japan - Niantic, Inc.
- ↑ Pokémon GO field testing expands to Australia and New Zealand - Niantic, Inc.
- ↑ Pokémon GO field testing expands to the United States - Niantic, Inc.
- ↑ Pokémon Go GDC Presentation Canceled - www.GameInformer.com
- ↑ Pokémon GO : The Pokémon Company confirme le report français
- ↑ Pokemon Go banned by Iranian authorities over 'security' | BBC
- ↑ Iranians hunt Pokemon despite ban | Yahoo
This article is part of Project Sidegames, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon Sidegames. |