Pokémon GO

Pokémon GO (Japanese: ) is a multiplayer, location-based, Pokémon game for and . The game results from a collaboration between The Pokémon Company, Nintendo, and Niantic, Inc., and is 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 became available on the Samsung Galaxy Store for Samsung devices running on Android on May 11, 2019.Announcement of game availability on Galaxy Store
The game was announced at the Pokémon GO 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, Poké Ball Plus, and Pokémon GO Plus +, devices that allow players to enjoy elements of the game without looking at their phone. Compatibility with the was added in an update on December 22, 2016, but was later dropped on July 1, 2019, with the addition of Adventure Sync.Discontinued support for Apple Watch
==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==
Pokémon GO has mechanics much different from those of the core series games. The player is assisted by Professor Willow throughout the game. Players can login using a Pokémon Trainer Club, Google, or Facebook account, which can be linked together for logging in.
The game can be played as an (AR) game, so that in wild encounters and 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.
 and are two forms of currency central to Pokémon GO. Each Pokémon's evolutionary line uses a specific type of Candy to power up or evolve. Stardust is required in addition to Candy to power up; unlike Candy, Stardust is not specific to any species of Pokémon. Candy and Stardust are most commonly earned by catching and hatching Pokémon. If a player transfers a Pokémon to Professor Willow, then one Candy for that Pokémon will be awarded.
Players can also challenge each other in s or challenge the Team leaders Candela, , and Blanche in Battle Training.
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.
===Capturing===
: See also: Catch rate (GO)
In the game, wild Pokémon appear on a map of the real world (based on the crowdsourced OpenStreetMap project),Niantic Switches to OpenStreetMap in Pokémon GORecommendations for new (Pokémon GO) mappers by community members with the player moving in the game by traveling 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, Pokémon are more common near water. Weather also affects which Pokémon are common.
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 various Berries to make wild Pokémon easier to catch or use more powerful Poké Balls like Great Balls and Ultra Balls. 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 thrown strikes the Pokémon after passing through the ring, it will grant a bonus to catch rate depending on the size of the ring, denoted as Nice/Great/Excellent throws. Throwing a curve ball by spinning the ball before throwing it also increases your chances of catching the Pokémon.
In other special encounters, Premier Balls and Beast Balls are used. This includes raids, research, and Shadow Pokémon.
===Locations===
There are three main types of locations in Pokémon GO: PokéStops, s, and s. These exist at pre-defined real-world locations that the player must be within range of to interact with them (although they can be inspected as long as they have shown up in the Map.)
A PokéStop allows players to obtain items and Eggs by tapping on it then spinning the blue Photo Disc (swiping left / right across it). The Photo Disc then changes color to purple, and has a cooldown time of 5 minutes before it can be spun again. Pokémon often spawn close to PokéStops, sometimes in large clusters known as a Nest. Lures can be attached to PokéStops to attract certain Pokémon to them.
Gyms appear much larger on the map, with its color matching the team currently in control of it. Players can battle to weaken those belonging to opposing teams. Players from any team can claim items from a gym's Photo Disc, the same as with a PokéStop. The player will be given a Gym Badge for each Gym the first time they interact with it: Badges can be leveled up to bronze, silver, and gold, with each level causing the Gym to give out a higher number of items when spun.
A Gym can only be controlled by one team at a time, with its color matching the team currently in possession.
* If a Gym is controlled by the player's team, they can add one of their own Pokémon to defend it (if there are not already six Pokémon in the Gym), which will earn the player 1 PokéCoin every 10 minutes, up to a maximum of 50 coins. A player can also feed Berries to any Pokémon in the Gym, which will increase the Pokémon's motivation and earn the player Stardust (and possibly Candy).
* If a Gym is controlled by a rival team, the player can battle it to decrease each defending Pokémon's motivation; when a Pokémon's motivation reaches zero, it will be knocked out of the Gym. When all defending Pokémon have been defeated, the team loses control of the Gym, allowing the player to reclaim it as their own.
s may sometimes take place at a Gym, where several players can work together to battle against a wild Pokémon much stronger than normal. The Pokémon currently in the Raid is highlighted above the Gym, as well as its level. Winning a Raid Battle allows the involved players to attempt to catch the raid Pokémon, now with much reduced CP and possibly different attacks.
Power Spots allow players to obtain Max Particles by interacting with them. Similarly to Gyms, Power Spots may host Max Battles in which up to four players can battle a Pokémon for a chance to catch it and earn rewards. Once defeated, players can station one of their own Dynamax Pokémon at the Power Spot to earn Candy for that Pokémon, power up the attacks of future Trainers challenging the Power Spot Boss, and potentially spawn wild Pokémon encounters near the Power Spot. Unlike PokéStops and Gyms, Power Spots are only available for a certain amount of time.
PokéStops are much more common than Gyms, but depending on where a player lives, they may be very common or very sparse. Locations tend to be more common in urban areas due to a higher population density, resulting in more 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.
The locations of PokéStops and Gyms are based on a selection of portals from the Niantic game . Until 2015, Ingress players (agents) could submit proposals for portals which subsequently had to be approved by Niantic. From 2017 onward, Ingress agents can submit new portals through Operation Portal Recon (OPR) that would be reviewed and approved by their OPR peers. Starting in September 2017, a PokéStop submission system started beta test for level 40 trainers located in Brazil and South Korea. As of September 2017 the portal or PokéStop submissions are still reviewed by agents participating in OPR for final approval, although Niantic has announced that the system will be expanded to Pokémon GO trainers.
With Pokémon Go's update, you can now scan PokéStops to level them up and get bonus items from them. Eventually, the time runs out and the PokéStop no longer gives extra items, however it still retains it's level. PokéStops have a max level of fifty and the length of the bonus and the amount of extra items you get increases with each level.
===Battles===
In contrast to the core series games, battles in Pokémon GO are not turn based and instead rely participants to continuously cast attacks to deal damage. While Pokémon GO uses the same type effectiveness chart as the core series since Generation VI, it uses different multipliers and a different formula to calculate damage. There are two types of battle mechanics in Pokémon GO: one for s and s (against an AI) and the other for s (against another player or Team GO Rocket). The two modes have different stats for each move and use different sets of damage modifiers. For Trainer Battles, the player can battle the Team Leaders Blanche, , or Candela to practice against an AI. For unspecified reasons, and are unusable in Trainer Battles.
===Moves===
:See also: List of moves in Pokémon GO
Unlike in the core series, Pokémon normally only have two s: one Fast Attack and one Charged Attack. In both types of battles, Fast Attacks can be cast at any time, and the user gains each cast. Charged Attacks are generally much stronger moves that cost energy to use. A Pokémon's moves are randomly assigned and can only be changed by using a TM to learn a new Fast Attack or Charged Attack, replacing the old move. Since December 2018, players could have a Pokémon learn a second Charged Attack, at random, by spending a large amount of Stardust and Candy. Evolving a Pokémon randomly resets all of its moves (there are some exceptions).
====Adventure Effects====
Some moves, like , can be used outside of battles for additional effects outside of battle. Each Adventure Effect costs a set amount of Stardust and the user's Candy, and lasts for a set amount of time. They can be used in increments. They can be used by checking the Pokémon's summary screen, or the buddy screen if it's the player's Buddy Pokémon. Only 1 Adventure Effect can be in effect at a time.
===Trainer level===
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 s. As the player's level increases, their Pokémon are able to achieve a higher Combat Power as the player powers them up.
===Teams===
After the player reaches level 5, they can choose a team by tapping a Gym. There are three teams: the yellow Team Instinct led by Spark, the blue Team Mystic led by Blanche, and the red Team Valor led by Candela.
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 s much like a stats judge in the core series. They describe which of its three stats has the highest IVs, and how good its IVs are overall. They will also note if the Pokémon's height or weight is particularly far from the average listed in the Pokédex.
Players may change their team by purchasing a Team Medallion in the Shop. After purchasing it, the player must wait 365 days before they may buy another one.
Emblem	Team 	Color 	Mascot	Leader 	Description
 	Instinct	Yellow	 	 	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 	 	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 	 	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?
===Items===
Pokémon GO has a variety of items that are stored in the player's Bag. These items have many purposes, including capturing, evolving and restoring Pokémon. Items are primarily obtained through spinning Photo Disks at PokéStops and s. Upon reaching a new Trainer level, the player will also receive a large amount of items. In later updates, players could also earn other rarer items from winning s or by completing Field Research and Special Research tasks.
A Bag may hold up to 350 items, but players can purchase more space for 200, allowing for 50 more items, up to a maximum of 8,300. If the player tries to spin a PokéStop or open a Gift with a full Bag, the game will not allow them to do so unless there is at least one empty slot. However, it is possible to open gifts with a full bag if you turn on the setting to only receive Stardust from Gifts when your Bag is full. Before participating in a , players will be warned if their Bag is full, notifying them that prizes will not be rewarded afterwards. However, receiving items through other means, such as leveling up or winning raids, can bypass this limit and allow players to store more items past the capacity.
===Shop===
In the Shop, the player can make two kinds of purchases. They can purchase PokéCoins using real money or they can purchase in-game items using PokéCoins. PokéCoins are the in-app currency used in Pokémon GO. There are two ways of obtaining PokéCoins: the Defender bonus or by purchasing them with real money. Players can also purchase special event access to limited items through research using real money.
A number of the in-game items in the Shop can also be obtained by playing the game, but a few items are exclusive to the Shop: the Bag Upgrade, the Pokémon Storage Upgrade, and the Premium Raid Pass. The Shop also occasionally features limited-time "Box" deals (e.g., a Special Box) that include more than one kind of item.
To obtain the Defender bonus, the player must assign a Pokémon to defend a Gym that currently has less than six defenders. Upon their Pokémon being knocked out, the player will receive a number of coins based on how long their Pokémon defended a Gym, one coin for every ten minutes, up to a maximum of 50 for a collective eight hours and twenty minutes.
===Eggs===
The player can obtain Eggs at PokéStops, s, or as a possible Adventure Sync reward. An Egg will hatch after traveling a certain distance while the Egg is in an Egg Incubator. Five Egg distances are possible: 2 km, 5 km, 7 km, 10 km, and 12 km. 7 km Eggs are exclusively obtained by opening Gifts, and 12 km Eggs are obtained by beating Team GO Rocket Leaders. 2 km, 5 km, and 10 km eggs are obtained from Pokéstops and Gyms, but if a trainer walks enough in a week, they'll get an egg from Adventure Sync. This includes walking 25 km for a 5 km egg, or walking 50 km for a 10 km egg. The eggs from Adventure Sync have different Pokémon that can hatch from them. Each species has a set Egg distance and can only hatch from Eggs with this distance, but Egg distances have occasionally been changed.
===Trading===
Players can trade Pokémon with nearby friends from the friends list menu. Trading a Pokémon re-rolls its IVs and gives some of the Pokémon species' candy (see main article for details). Each Pokémon can only be traded once.
===Buddy===
By assigning a Buddy Pokémon, the player can receive additional Candies for that species of Pokémon as they walk. Depending on the species, the Buddy Pokémon will find 1 Candy every 1 km, 3 km, 5 km, or 20 km walked. The player can only have a single Buddy Pokémon at one time.
Some Pokémon require being walked a certain distance before it can evolve. For example, must be a Buddy Pokémon for 20 km before it can be evolved into .
Some Pokémon also require you to do certain things (other than walking) while they are your buddy to evolve.
You can take pictures of your buddy and feed it to level it up to gain certain perks.
If a Zorua spawns, it will appear on the map as your Buddy, including whether of not it's Shiny, Mega Evolved, in its Primal Forms, or a Ditto or Zorua itself. If you do not have a Buddy Pokémon set, Zorua will appear on the map as itself.
===Research tasks===
There are four types of Research tasks in Pokémon GO: Field Research, Special Research, Timed Research, and Collection Challenges. Players can complete Research tasks to receive a variety of rewards, including items or encounters with a wild Pokémon. Wild Pokémon encountered from completing Research tasks will never flee and have a minimum of 10 s (out of a maximum 15) per stat.
Trainers can unlock Field Research tasks by spinning PokéStops and can hold a maximum of three tasks at once. Each PokéStop has a specific Field Research task assigned to it once a day. Players can choose to discard a Field Research task to free up a slot. Completing a Field Research tasks earns the player a Stamp up to once a day. Once the player collects seven Stamps, a Research Breakthrough will be unlocked, which includes item rewards and an encounter with a rare, special Pokémon. AR Mapping Tasks can also be obtained as Field Research, and do not take up one of the three Field Research slots. Sponsored Field Research tasks are obtained by spinning Sponsored PokéStops. Bonus Field Research gives out one task daily at midnight and does not take up a Field Research slot if all three are already full.
Special Research tasks generally take longer to complete than Field Research. Unlike Field Research, Special Research tasks are finite and unlocked through specific events. A Special Research is usually several sets of three Research tasks that must be completed sequentially before unlocking the next set. Upon completing all Special Research sets, the player will have the chance to encounter a rare, special Pokémon. So far, Special Research is the only way to obtain (and its variant), (and its Shiny variant), (and its Shiny variant), (in its Land and Sky form, and its Shiny variant), , Aria Form , Confined, , , and other rare or exclusive Pokémon.
Timed Research tasks are only available during events. Unlike Field and Special Research, these tasks expire if they are not completed or claimed. Much like Special Research, they often have pages and multiple tasks per page. They recently have come with new seasons of GO Battle League, and often Pokémon GO has partnerships with companies, and Timed Research is available with codes for customers of the company.
Collection Challenges. Like Timed Research, these tasks expire if they are not completed or claimed. When a Collection Challenge is completed, it adds to the "Elite Collector" Medal. Collection Challenges sometimes comes in the form of redeemable codes. They involve catching, evolving, or trading specific Pokémon. Usually, the objective is to just catch the normal Pokémon specified, but sometimes they also require trading, or evolving Pokémon, or catching the Pokémon in their Shadow or Costume form.
===Team GO Rocket===
Team GO Rocket is a villainous team whose goal is to take over PokéStops for their items and resources. Team GO Rocket Grunts are occasionally stationed to invade a PokéStop, and they come to you in a hot air balloon, where they will challenge players to battle if they interact with the PokéStop. Team GO Rocket Grunts battle using Shadow Pokémon and will abandon one of their Pokémon upon being defeated. Players will have a chance to capture the abandoned Shadow Pokémon, which can then be purified using Candy and Stardust.
Team GO Rocket Leaders and Giovanni can also be found, but require a Rocket Radar or Super Rocket Radar to find or battle. If you find Giovanni, it may be a Decoy Grunt, which does not require to use the Super Rocket Radar to battle.
===Mega Evolution===
Mega Evolution was introduced in Pokémon GO on August 27, 2020, and initially introduced Mega Evolutions for , , , and , followed by the gradual introduction of more Mega Evolutions over time. Mega Evolving a Pokémon for the first time, or during its resting period costs Mega Energy, which can be obtained by defeating Mega Raid Bosses or by completing specific research tasks. Mega Evolution lasts for a period of 8 hours, providing bonuses based on the Pokémon's type(s) and Mega level. During this time catching Pokémon that share a type with the Mega Evolution rewards an increased amount of candy, stardust, experience, and chance of getting XL Candy, as well as an increasing the power of allies' moves that share a type with the Mega Evolution. Mega levels can be increased by Mega Evolving a Pokémon multiple times, and allow shorter rest periods and increased Mega Evolution Bonuses.
On April 20, 2022, the Mega Evolution mechanics were overhauled into the current system, alongside the "A Mega Moment" event.
===Fusion===
Fusion was introduced in Pokémon GO on May 30, 2024, and initially introduced Fusions for Dusk Mane and Dawn Wings . Each Fusion costs Candy from both Pokémon species as well as Fusion-specific Energy, which can be obtained by defeating Fusion Raid Bosses or by completing specific research tasks. Fusions last indefinitely and can be Separated at any time, but re-Fusing costs the same Fusion Energy and Candy. Players can have as many Fused Pokémon as they wish. Fused Pokémon have increased Combat Power and exclusive Charged Attacks.
===Medals===
The game has challenges that award s upon completion. Medals can be viewed from a player's profile. Some medals unlock , allowing players to purchase them using PokéCoins. Medals awarded for catching Pokémon of a specific type slightly increase the capture rate of Pokémon of that type.
===Daily bonuses===
Daily bonuses give the player extra rewards the first time they perform certain actions each day (local time). They were added to Pokémon GO in version 0.45.0 (labelled 1.15.0 on the ), which was released on November 7, 2016.
The first Pokémon the player catches each day earns the player a bonus 1500 XP and 600 . If the player catches a Pokémon every day for 7 days in a row, they will earn a bonus of 6000 XP and 3000 Stardust.
The first PokéStop or the player searches each day earns the player a bonus 1500 XP and extra items. If the player searches PokéStops or Gyms every day for 7 days in a row, they will earn a bonus of 6000 XP and even more items. The 7-day streak bonus is guaranteed to give the player an Evolution item (such as a King's Rock).
A Pokémon will appear wherever the player is when they first open the game for the day beginning at midnight local time. This Pokémon radiates a white circle around it and will not disappear until midnight the following day. 
The Daily Adventure Incense is a 15-minute that can be used daily. Pokémon will only appear while the player is moving. Various Pokémon may appear while using the Daily Adventure Incense, including those that typically do not appear in the wild. It is also the only way to encounter the Galarian forms of , , and .
===Available Pokémon===
For a list of Pokémon available in Pokémon GO, see List of Pokémon by availability (GO).
==Events==
Pokémon GO features a variety of both local and global events throughout the year, which often feature increased spawns of thematic Pokémon, bonuses for certain in-game activities, and new releases of Shiny Pokémon.
==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==
For a full history of all content released in Pokémon GO, please see Pokémon GO/Version history.
==Compatibility==
Pokémon GO requires an internet connection (, or ) and GPS and location services. According to the official support site, the game can be played on:Supported Devices — Pokémon GO Help Center
* Android devices: (2016) and newer ( devices are not supported), preferred resolution of 720×1280 pixels (not optimized for tablet)
** (2013) support was available until July 1, 2019.Discontinued Support for Android 4 KitKat — Pokémon GO Help Center
** (2014) support was available until October 14, 2020.Discontinued Support for Android 5, iOS 10/11, and iPhone 5s/6 — Pokémon GO Help Center
** (2015) support was available until June 13, 2022.Discontinued Support for Android 6 — Pokémon GO Help Center
* iOS devices: (2015) and newer, (2020) and newer ( devices are not supported)
** (2011), , , , (all 2012), and (2013) support was available until February 28, 2018.Discontinued support for certain Apple devices from 2013 and older – Pokémon GO (Archived)
** (2013) and (2014) support was available until October 14, 2020.
** (2016) support was available from September 13, 2016, to October 14, 2020.
** (2015) support was available from December 22, 2016, to July 1, 2019.Discontinued Support for Apple Watch — Pokémon GO Help Center
** (2017) support was available from September 19, 2017, to October 14, 2020.
** (2018) support was available from September 17, 2018, to November 30, 2021.Discontinued Support for iOS 12 — Pokémon GO Help Center
** (2019) support was available from September 19, 2019, to July 12, 2022.Discontinued Support for iOS 13 — Pokémon GO Help Center
However, the game is also playable on some iOS and Android devices that are not officially supported.
==Connectivity==
Pokémon GO originally had no connectivity with other Pokémon games. However, Junichi Masuda has stated that the developers planned to add connectivity with the next entry in the core series Pokémon games.Pokémon GO - Demonstration - Nintendo E3 2016 (YouTube)News From the Pokémon GO Announcement - Pokemon.com (archived July 15, 2016)
Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! is the first game to allow the player to transfer Pokémon from Pokémon GO to a core series title. Only the first 151 Pokémon (including Alolan forms), , and its evolved form, , can be transferred. Upon transferring Pokémon to a Let's Go! game or Pokémon HOME for the first time, the player will receive the Mystery Box in Pokémon GO, which is used to spawn wild Meltan.
On November 10, 2020, the GO Transporter was made available to transfer Pokémon from Pokémon GO to Pokémon HOME. Each Pokémon costs a certain amount of GO Transporter Energy to transfer to HOME, depending on its and whether it is , , or . The GO Transporter passively recharges Energy, but the player can spend PokéCoins to fully recharge the GO Transporter instantly. Pokémon transferred to HOME via the GO Transporter can be sent to but not Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!. After the first transfer to HOME, the player will receive a Melmetal that can Gigantamax in Pokémon HOME, and a Mystery Box in GO if the player does not already have one.Introducing Gigantamax Melmetal, the Steel-type Pokémon! (YouTube)
All Shiny Pokémon originating from GO, when used in versions 1.1.0 or newer, have square sparkles instead of star sparkles. This occurs regardless of the Pokémon's personality value.
On February 27, 2023, support for transferring Postcards to was added. After the first transfer to Scarlet or Violet, the player will receive the Coin Bag in Pokémon GO, which is used to spawn the GO Exclusive Roaming Form Gimmighoul. After sending a Postcard to Scarlet or Violet for 5 separate days, the player will receive a Golden Lure Module.https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-news/connect-pokemon-go-to-pokemon-scarlet-and-pokemon-violet
==Partnerships==
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 s; sponsored locations do not appear in the game for players under the age of 13.
Pokémon GO partnered with in the Philippines. Starting on October 28, 2016, Globe retail locations and charging stations became PokéStops and Gyms. Globe also worked with , , , and .Globe Telecom enhances The Pokémon GO Experience for PH Gamers The partnership ended on midnight of March 15, 2018 (local time).Globe Telecom is no longer sponsoring Pokémon GO in the Philippines
Pokémon GO partnered with in the United States. Starting December 7, 2016, 10,500 Sprint, , and Sprint at stores in the United States became PokéStops and Gyms. Sprint locations also feature in-store charging stations to allow Pokémon GO players to charge their devices. Players could also find small Level 10, 20, 30, or 40 iron-on patches at Sprint store Gyms. During the fourth year, the partnership ended.
The day after the Sprint partnership began, a partnership in the United States began as well. 7,800 company-operated Starbucks stores in the United States have been made into PokéStops and Gyms. Additionally, Starbucks sold a special-edition Pokémon GO Frappuccino as part of this partnership; the Pokémon GO Frappuccino starts with a Vanilla Bean blended beverage and raspberry syrup blended with freeze-dried whole blackberries and topped with whipped cream.
Pokémon GO partnered with (which operates under the name Jio) in India. Starting December 13, 2016, nearly 3,000 Jio stores (thousands of stores according to Jio's press release) and select partner premises in India became 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 customers were able to download and play Pokémon GO without incurring data charges, like any other apps and content, until March 31, 2017.
Pokémon GO partnered with shopping malls across Europe. Starting on February 18, 2017, new PokéStops and Gyms across 58 shopping and destination centers in ten European countries were added. An average of a dozen new PokéStops and Gyms were added to public spaces, social hubs, and public art at each of the destination centers.
On November 16, 2017, Pokémon GO partnered with US game shop to celebrate the release of coming to the Nintendo 3DS. In this partnership, every location became a PokéStop or a Gym.
In 2020, Pokémon GO partnered with to bring two GO special weekends to the game on November 7, 2020 and May 29, 2021.
On November 8, 2020, Pokémon GO brought another GO special weekend to the game with the title sponsor as .
==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 Tsunekazu Ishihara. Development began, with Junichi Masuda working with Niantic on it.Game Informer #81: Pokénomenon
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.INGRESS REPORT - Begin New Journey - Raw Feed September 10 2015 However, no beta testing occurred during 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
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, 2016Pokémon GO - Pokemon.com (archived March 3, 2016)Pokémon GO field testing will begin in Japan - Niantic, Inc.
* Australia and New Zealand: held from April 25 to June 30, 2016, announced on April 7, 2016Pokémon GO field testing expands to Australia and New Zealand - Niantic, Inc.
* United States: held from May 25 to June 30, 2016, announced on May 16, 2016Pokémon GO field testing expands to the United States - Niantic, Inc.
A session at the 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.Pokémon Go GDC Presentation Canceled - www.GameInformer.com
==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 .Pokémon GO : The Pokémon Company confirme le report français The release in was only a couple of days prior to the beginning of the in Rio de Janeiro.
So far, Pokémon GO has been released in all countries with access to the iOS App Store, Google Play Store, or Samsung Galaxy Store, except for , Belarus, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Armenia, , , , , Mali, Senegal, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Angola, and Zimbabwe.
Pokémon GO has been banned in IranPokemon Go banned by Iranian authorities over 'security' | BBC and Pokémon Go banned by China authorities over 'safety' and 'security' | Forbes due to security concerns. However, some Iranians are still playing the game publicly regardless.Iranians hunt Pokemon despite ban | Yahoo On March 10, 2022, the game was removed and deactivated in Russia and Belarus due to the .@NianticLabs on Twitter
Date 	Locations 	
July 6, 2016 	, Break out the sneakers and Poké Balls! – Pokémon GO 	
July 6, 2016 	 	
July 13, 2016 	Pokémon GO on Twitter: "We are happy to announce that #PokemonGO is available to Trainers in Germany. Follow us to receive future announcements." 	
July 14, 2016 	Pokémon GO on Twitter: "UK Trainers, the wait is over. #PokemonGO is now officially available to be installed from Google Play or iTunes." 	
July 15, 2016 	, , Pokémon GO on Twitter: "Starting now, Trainers in Italy, Spain, and Portugal can download Pokémon GO officially from the Play Store or App Store." 	
July 16, 2016 	Austria, , , , Cyprus, , , Estonia, , , Greenland, , , , Latvia, Liechtenstein, , Luxembourg, Malta, , , , , , Slovenia, , SwitzerlandPokémon GO Available in Twenty-Six New Countries – Pokémon GO 	
July 17, 2016 	Pokémon GO on Twitter: "Pokémon GO is now available in Canada! Discover and capture Pokémon all around you." 	
July 19, 2016 	Puerto Rico“Pokémon Go” comienza a funcionar en Puerto Rico - Primera Hora 	
July 22, 2016 	Pokémon GO、いよいよ日本で配信開始！ – Pokémon GO 	
July 24, 2016 	Pokémon GO on Twitter: "Trainers, we are proud to reveal that #PokemonGO is officially available to download in France." 	
July 25, 2016 	Pokémon GO on Twitter: "#PokemonGO is now available in Hong Kong! Put on your shoes, step outside, and explore the world with Pokémon GO." 	
August 3, 2016 	Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, , Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, , , British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, , , , Dominica, , , , Grenada, , Guyana, Haiti, , Jamaica, , Montserrat, , , , , St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, , We are excited to share more details about Pokémon GO including the launch across Latin America! – Pokémon GO	
August 5, 2016August 6, 2016 	Aruba, Brunei, Cambodia, Curaçao, Fiji, , Laos, , Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, , , Sint Maarten, Solomon Islands, , , Turks and Caicos Islands, Pokémon GO is now available in countries and regions across Asia and Oceania – Pokémon GO 	
September 30, 2016 	, Bosnia and Herzegovina, , , Pokémon GO on Twitter: "Get ready to GO! Trainers in 5 new countries and regions can now download Pokémon GO from Google Play or iTunes!" 	
October 1, 2016 	Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, UzbekistanPokémon GO on Twitter: "Trainers in 6 new countries can download Pokémon GO from Google Play or iTunes!" 	
October 4, 2016October 5, 2016	Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Chad, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, , Eswatini, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, , Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, , Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, ZambiaPokémon GO on Twitter: "Trainers in 31 new countries can download Pokémon GO from Google Play or iTunes!"	
November 18, 2016 	, , , , , , , Pokémon GO on Twitter: "Trainers in eight new countries in the Middle East can now download Pokémon GO from Google Play or iTunes!" 	
December 14, 2016 	, , , , , Pokémon GO on Twitter: "Indian Trainers, thank you for your patience. Download Pokémon GO now & explore your neighborhoods to catch Pokémon!" 	
January 24, 2017 	Pokémon GO Korea on Twitter: "이제 한국에서도 Pokémon GO를 플레이할 수 있다는 소식을 알려드리게 되어 기쁩니다. 어서 시작하세요!" 	
September 11, 2018 	Игра Pokemon Go стала официально доступна в России спустя два года после запуска - ТАСС 	
April 21, 2020 	, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Georgia, Iraq, Kosovo, Libya, Maldives, Montenegro, Myanmar, Nauru, Tonga, VanuatuApple Services now available in more countries around the world - Apple 	
June 3, 2021 	Pokemon GO'dan sevindiren gelişme - ShiftDelete.Net 	
October 12, 2024 	لعبة Pokémon GO تستضيف حدث تفاعلي كبير في بوليفارد الرياض سيتي - سعودي جيمر 	
 	 	
==Gallery==
Pokémon GO Beyond icon.png|GO Beyond Icon
===App icon===
Image	Dates 	Theme
 	July 6, 2016 - July 17, 2021 	Initial Icon
 	July 17, 2021 - July 30, 2021 	GO Fest 2021
 	December 1, 2020 - March 1, 2021 	Season of Celebration
 	March 1, 2021 - June 1, 2021 	Season of Legends
 	September 1, 2021 - December 1, 2021 	Season of Mischief
 	December 1, 2021 - March 1, 2022 	Season of Heritage
 	March 1, 2022 - May 31, 2022 	Season of Alola
 	May 31, 2022 - September 1, 2022 	Season of GO
 	September 1, 2022 - December 1, 2022 	Season of Light
 	December 1, 2022 - March 1, 2023 	Mythical Wishes
 	March 1, 2023 - May 31, 2023 	Rising Heroes
 	June 1, 2023 - September 1, 2023 	Hidden Gems
 	September 1, 2023 - December 1, 2023 	Adventures Abound
 	December 1, 2023 - March 1, 2024 	Timeless Travels
 	March 1, 2024 - May 31, 2024 	World of Wonders
 	June 1, 2024 - September 3, 2024 	Shared Skies
 	September 3, 2024 - November 24, 2024	Max Out
 	November 24, 2024 - present 	Dual Destiny
===Load screen===
Image	Dates 	Theme
 	July 6 - October 26, 2016 	Original
 	October 26 - December 12, 2016 	Halloween 2016
 	December 12–30, 2016 	Christmas 2016
 	December 30, 2016 - April 7, 2017 	New Year 2017
 	April 7 - June 21, 2017 	Summer (Johto) 2017
 	June 21 - October 20, 2017 	Raid Battle 2017
 	October 20 - November 2017 	Halloween 2017
 	December 7, 2017 - January 2018 	Christmas 2017
 	January - March 28, 2018 	New Year 2018
 	March 28 - June 19, 2018 	Research & Mew Screen 2018
 	June 19 - December 7, 2018 	Summer 2018
 	December 7, 2018 - January 2, 2019February 14–23, 2019 	Trainer Battle League
 	January 2 - February 14, 2019 	New Year 2019
 	February 23 - June 21, 2019 	GO Snapshot 2019
 	June 21 - October 2, 2019 	Summer 2019
 	October 2 - December 16, 2019 	Team GO Rocket
 	December 16, 2019 - January 2020February 3 - March 25, 2020 	Christmas 2019
 	January - February 3, 2020 	New Year 2020
 	March 25, 2020 - July 10, 2020 	Spring 2020
 	July 10, 2020 - October 29, 2020 	GO Fest 2020
 	October 29, 2020 - December 1, 2020 	Halloween 2020
 	December 1, 2020 - March 1, 2021 	Christmas 2020
 	January 1, 2021 - February 1, 2021 	New Year 2021
 	March 1, 2021 - June 11, 2021 	Spring 2021
 	June 11, 2021 - July 17, 2021 	GO Fest 2021
 	July 17, 2021 - September 1, 2021 	GO Fest 2021 Hoopa
 	September 1, 2021 - December 1, 2021 	Autumn 2021
 	December 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021February 2, 2022 - March 1, 2022	Winter 2021
 	December 31, 2021 - February 2, 2022 	New Year 2022
 	March 1, 2022 - May 31, 2022 	Spring 2022
 	June 1, 2022 - September 1, 2022 	GO Fest 2022
 	September 1, 2022 - December 1, 2022 	Autumn 2022
 	December 1, 2022 - March 1, 2023 	Winter 2022
 	March 1, 2023 - May 31, 2023 	Spring 2023
 	June 1, 2023 - September 1, 2023 	GO Fest 2023
 	September 1, 2022 - December 1, 2022 	Autumn 2023
 	December 1, 2023 - March 1, 2024 	Winter 2023
 	March 1, 2024 - May 31, 2024 	Spring 2024
 	June 1, 2024 - September 3, 2024 	GO Fest 2024
 	September 3, 2024 - December 3, 2024 	Halloween 2024
 	December 3, 2024 - present 	Winter 2024
==Trivia==
* In the , no Pokémon can spawn, mostly because the area is considered by the software to be a military area, even though it is in fact .https://www.eurogamer.net/the-history-of-cyprus-is-a-problem-in-pokemon-go
* On April 1, 2014, over two years before the release of Pokémon GO, Google released a minigame inside of Google Maps to catch Pokémon in celebration of April Fools' Day. On the same day, Google also released a companion YouTube videoGoogle Maps: Pokémon Challenge advertising the position of Pokémon Master at the company.
* This is the first Pokémon game to use the engine.
* Although the game has not been released in mainland China, Nintendo trademarked a localized logo for the game using the title Bǎokěmèng Zǒu! (宝可梦 走！) as application no./registration no. 48218535. The trademark was filed on July 20, 2020 and granted on January 6, 2021.
==In other languages==
==External links==
Official websites
* Official website
** Official website (JP)
* Niantic Pokémon GO Live website
Social media
* Official Facebook page
* Official Instagram profile
* Official Threads profile
* Official Twitter profile
* Official YouTube channel
Videos
* Official teaser
* Official trailer
* Pokémon GO announcement press conference
==References==
==Related articles==
* List of Pokémon by availability (GO)
* List of Pokémon by base stats in Pokémon GO
* List of moves in Pokémon GO
* List of Pokémon by catch rate in Pokémon GO
* Google Maps: Pokémon Challenge
* 
*
Category:Mobile games
Category:Unity games
de:Pokémon GO
es:Pokémon GO
fr:Pokémon GO
it:Pokémon GO
ja:Pokémon GO
zh:Pokémon GO