Pokémon GO - the upcoming mobile game that lets you capture pocket monsters in “real life” - has finally opened up field testing in the United States. Beta testing started in Japan and later began rolling out in Australia and New Zealand.
The game, which is coming to both iOS and Android, was made in tandem with Niantic’s “Real World Gaming” platform that uses augmented reality to “create a unique game experience that motivates players to go outside and explore the world around them.” Players can find and capture wild Pokémon, and the ones you find are dependent on location and environment.
Walking around lets players hatch eggs, which can be found with other special items at PokéStops located at real-world locations. Players can even battle with their Pokémon to gain ownership of gyms. Additionally, there’s a wearable device that connects to players" smartphones via Bluetooth, provides alerts of certain events, and also lets users perform simple actions.
Pokémon Go is probably the closest we’ll ever get to having real Pokémon, and is a highly anticipated effort made by Nintendo who only recently began to get serious about releasing mobile content.
You can register at Niantic’s website to participate in field testing, although doing so does not guarantee access. Pokémon GO will be made available sometime this year.
Source: The Pokémon Company