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Catch ’em all! Pokémon Go is rolling out to Android and iOS right now

By Christian de Looper July 6, 2016

The day has finally come. Pokémon Go was first announced in September, and then released in closed beta in March. Now the game is finally ready for consumer use, landing on both iOS and Android today.

It isn’t available in all markets yet, but considering that the roll-out has just begun, if you haven’t seen it yet you should in the very near future. It can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and the App Store.

Pokemon Go

pokemon go released android ios

pokemon go released android ios

pokemon go released android ios

pokemon go released android ios

Pokémon Go was developed as a collaboration between Nintendo and Niantic Labs, and uses the smartphone’s camera, sensors, and location to put Pokémon in various locations in the real world. That’s right — to play this game you’ll have to get off your butt and actually go outside! As you travel to different landmarks and locations in your city, you’ll run into wild Pokemon, train them, and battle with them at gyms.

The game itself is free, though it does have micro-transactions costing between $1 and $100. And if you’re really serious you can buy a $35 wearable that will let you play it without having to actually unlock your phone.

The release is somewhat of a surprise: Nintendo and Niantic have kept quiet about a specific release date. Hints were dropped during E3 that it might make it to the public some time in July, so the release will be a nice surprise for those eager to try their hand at the new augmented reality game.

As mentioned, the game isn’t available around the world just yet, but you should be able to get it at some point in the near future. Just watch what you say while you wait.

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Christian de Looper

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Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…

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Niantic launched NBA All-World, its basketball-themed, location-based mobile game, on iOS and Android today. Ahead of this release, Digital Trends attended a presentation to learn more about how the sports AR title works.
If you've played any of Niantic's games before, many elements of NBA All-World will feel quite familiar. The mobile game tracks players' location and encourages them to explore. While doing so, players will find Drop Zones that grant them new gear. Niantic says Drop Zones will often be placed near real-world counterparts, so players can find money near a bank or shoes near a shoe store.
There will also be Player Encounters, where they can face off against current NBA athletes. Niantic tells Digital Trends that classic athletes aren't currently in the game, but feels that idea "is a good one."

In Player Encounters, users face off against athletes in one of four minigames: 3-Point Shootout, Beat the Clock, Around the World, and First-to-Five. While they feature some impressive and realistic animation for a mobile game, Niantic says these minigames only use simple swipe controls because the studio wanted to make something that is easy to play while someone is walking around their neighborhood. If a user wins a Player Encounter, they can recruit that athlete to their team, customize them with items found at Drop Zones, and upgrade them by playing with them. Players can also challenge players they already recruited again to earn more currency.
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One thing that will be in the game at launch is microtransactions, which Niantic says will be similar to the ones available in its other games and allow players to increase their athletes' stats with Offense, Defense, and Fitness boosts.
Despite the undeniable success of Pokémon Go, Niantic has never been able to completely replicate its success with games like Harry Potter: Wizards Unite or Pikmin Bloom. However, the studio seems confident that basketball has the global mass appeal to make NBA All-World another massive hit for the company. The early footage we saw of the game does leave us optimistic for NBA All-World's prospects, but we'll ultimately have to wait and see if the game will make it past its rookie season.
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