'Pokemon GO' News 2016: New Game Details Revealed
"Pokemon Go" is Nintendo's first foray into mobile gaming and is a game that is much-anticipated by fans of Pokemon. Since the game was revealed in September 2015, not much is known about the game except that it is an augmented reality game that makes use of location-based markers in order to look for, catch and collect virtual pocket monsters in the real world.
According to a post in Moviepilot, the game's developer, Niantic, Inc. has shared additional details about the upcoming game.
The game's mechanics at first surprised a lot of Nintendo fans, as they were expecting more straightforward ports of their well-known games for iOS and Android. Niantic, Inc. however is already known for its work in using location-based markers for the MMORPG "Ingress," and according to them, they were approached by the Pokemon Company to develop "Pokemon GO."
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Some of the details shared by Niantic include the "distribution" of the pocket monsters or where they can be found. According to the developer, different types of Pokemon can be found in different parts of the world, depending on what type of Pokemon they are.
Water Pokemon can be found in places where there are bodies of water. If a player wants to have a water Pokemon but he or she does not live near water, a trade can be done with other players. Trading of Pokemon can be done during events that the developer likened to those of "Ingress."
According to the report, the game is expected to launch with the first 150 generation of Pokemon, which will include the original fifteen types, namely Bug, Dragon, Ice, Fighting, Fire, Flying, Grass, Ghost, Ground, Electric, Normal, Poison, Psychic, Rock and Water. Other generations may appear later, either as in-app purchases or game updates.
The game will also have gyms which players need to seek out in order to participate in. In gyms, players can do battle so that their Pokemon can level up. Gyms will also allow players to organize themselves into teams, which can then compete with each other. Different teams will be linked to different gyms.
Aside from gyms, there will be competitive events where players can battle and trade. These events can be located in known sites or known local businesses for example.
The game's release date is still unannounced, but according to the report, the game is still in its beta testing phase which will likely last until after the New Year. Perhaps a release date will be announced by then.
