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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 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[1].

Pokémon GO
Pokémon GO
Pokemon Go Logo.png
Pokémon GO logo
Basic info
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 - VIII miscellaneous
Ratings
CERO: A
ESRB: E
ACB: PG
OFLC: N/A
PEGI: 3
GRAC: 3
GSRR: N/A
Release dates
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: January 24, 2017
Hong Kong: July 25, 2016
Taiwan: August 6, 2016
Websites
Japanese: Official site (TPC)
Official site (Niantic)
English: Official site (TPCi)
Official site (Niantic)
Pokémon.com
Bulbanews
Bulbanews has multiple articles related to this subject:
StrategyWiki
StrategyWiki has more about this subject:

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 and the Poké Ball Plus, Bluetooth devices that allow players to enjoy elements of the game without looking at their phone. Compatibility with the Apple Watch was added in an update on December 22, 2016, but was later dropped on July 1, 2019 with the addition of Adventure Sync.[2]

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

 
Encountering a wild Rattata, with AR mode disabled (Prior to 0.55.0 version)

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 augmented reality (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.

Candy and Stardust are two forms of currency central to Pokémon GO. Each Pokémon's evolutionary family 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 Trainer Battles or challenge the Team leaders Candela, Spark, 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)[3][4], 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, Water-type 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 is thrown while the ring is very small, the capture is more likely to be successful. Capturing while the ring is as far out as it can be, or halfway in the outer circle also provides small bonuses.

Locations

There are two main types of locations in Pokémon GO: PokéStops and Gym. PokéStops and Gyms exist at are 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.)

The locations of PokéStops and Gyms are based on a selection of portals from the Niantic game Ingress. 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. The 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 PokéCoins by holding onto their own Gyms, while also obtaining items from its Photo Disc. 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. If a Gym is controlled by the player's team, they can add one of their own Pokémon to defend it and feed Berries to any Pokémon in the Gym. Doing so will earn the player Stardust, possible Candy, and an increase in the Pokémon's motivation. If a Gym is controlled by a rival team, the player can battle it to decrease each 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. Raid Battles may sometimes take place at a Gym, several players can work together to battle against a wild Pokémon much stronger than normal. Winning a Raid Battle allows

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.

Battles

Battles in Pokémon GO, in contrast to the core series games, 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. There are two sets of battle mechanics in Pokémon GO: one for Gyms and Raid Battles (against the AI) and the other for Trainer Battles (against another player). The two modes have different stats for each move and uses a different formula to calculate damage. For Trainer Battles, the player can battle the Team Leaders Blanche, Spark, or Candela to practice against an AI.

Unlike in the core series, Pokémon normally only have two moves: one Fast Attack and one Charged Attack. In both types of battles, Fast Attacks can be cast at any time, and the user gains energy 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 Fast TM or Charged TM to randomly learn a new Fast Attack or Charged Attack, respectively, replacing the old move. Since December 2018, players could have a Pokémon learn a second Charged Attack by spending a large amount of Stardust and Candy. Evolving a Pokémon randomly resets all of its moves.

Trainer level

Main article: 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 Gyms. As the player's level increases, their Pokémon are able to achieve a higher Combat Power as the player powers them up.

Teams

 
The Team Leaders Candela, Blanche and Spark.

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 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.

Players may change their team by purchasing a Team Medallion in the Shop. After purchasing it, the player must wait a full year before they may buy another one.

Emblem Team Color Mascot Leader Description
  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?

Items

Main article: List of items in Pokémon GO

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 Gyms. 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 Raid Battles 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 2,500. 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. Before participating in a Trainer Battle, 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

Main article: PokéCoin

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 Gym Defender bonus or by purchasing them with 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

 
A 2 km egg in Pokémon GO
Main article: List of Eggs in Pokémon GO

The player can obtain Eggs at PokéStops, Gyms, or as a possible Adventure Sync reward. An Egg will hatch after traveling a certain distance while the Egg is in an Egg Incubator. Four Egg distances are possible: 2 km, 5 km, 7 km, and 10 km. 7 km Eggs are exclusively obtained by opening Gifts. Each species has a set Egg distance and can only hatch from Eggs with this distance, but Egg distances have occasionally been changed.

Buddy

 
A Buddy Pokémon
Main article: Buddy Pokémon

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 or 5 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, Feebas must be a Buddy Pokémon for 20 km before it can be evolved into Milotic.

Research tasks

There are two types of Research tasks in Pokémon GO: Field Research and Special Research. 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 IVs (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.

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 Mew, Celebi, Jirachi, and Spiritomb.

Team GO Rocket

 
A PokéStop invaded by Team GO Rocket
Main article: 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, 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.

Medals

Main article: List of Medals in Pokémon GO

The game has challenges that award medals upon completion. Medals can be viewed from a player's profile. Some medals unlock clothing items, 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 iOS App Store), which was released on November 7, 2016.

The first Pokémon the player catches each day earns the player a bonus 500 XP and 600 Stardust. If the player catches a Pokémon every day for 7 days in a row, they will earn a bonus of 2500 XP and 3000 Stardust.

The first PokéStop or Gym the player searches each day earns the player a bonus 500 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 2500 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).

Available Pokémon

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Currently, the many species of Pokémon available in Pokémon GO consist of those introduced in Generations I to IV, along with a selection of Pokémon from Generation V, Meltan, and Melmetal. From the first four generations, the following and their alternate forms are currently unobtainable:

Date Available Pokémon Notes
Jul 6, 2016 All Generation I Pokémon except Ditto, Legendary Pokémon and Mew Initial release.
Nov 23, 2016   Ditto became available, appearing disguised as Pidgey, Rattata, Zubat, or Magikarp. Ditto also became able to appear disguised as Hoothoot, Sentret, or Yanma starting February 16, 2017.
Dec 12, 2016          Generation II baby Pokémon became available, exclusively from Eggs.
Feb 16, 2017                                                                                      Most remaining Generation II Pokémon became available, except Delibird and Smeargle. This included allowing Generation I Pokémon that have Generation II cross-generational evolutions to evolve into those Pokémon and Togetic now appearing in the wild.
Jul 22, 2017    Legendary Pokémon first available through Raid Battles. Articuno was first available in Raid Battles from July 22 to 31.
Jul 31, 2017   Moltres was first available in Raid Battles from July 31 to August 7.
Aug 7, 2017   Zapdos was first available in Raid Battles from August 7 to 14.
Aug 14, 2017   The first Mewtwo Raid Battle occurred at the Pokémon GO Stadium event. Mewtwo was subsequently available in field tests of "Exclusive" or EX Raid Battles, and on November 21, 2017, the field test concluded and the mature EX Raid Battle system was announced. Mewtwo was made available through normal raids on September 20, 2018.
Aug 31, 2017     Raikou, Entei, and Suicune became available through Raid Battles in (respectively) the Americas, Europe and Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region from August 31 to September 30. On September 30, they then migrated to the preceding region. On October 31, they migrated a final time, until their availability ended on November 30.
Oct 20, 2017       The Generation III Ghost-type Pokémon became available, in conjunction with the upcoming Halloween event.
Nov 28, 2017   Ho-Oh became available through Raid Battles after the successful Global Catch Challenge, lasting until December 14.
Dec 8, 2017                                                    50 Generation III Pokémon became available. Mawile and Absol were only available through Raid Battles.[5]
Dec 15, 2017   Groudon became available through Raid Battles, lasting until January 15, 2018.
Dec 21, 2017                       20 additional Generation III Pokémon became available. The following families were introduced: Lotad, Carvanha, Wailmer, Barboach, Corphish, Feebas, Snorunt, Spheal, Relicanth, and Luvdisc.[6] Delibird became available exclusively during the Holiday event.
Jan 12, 2018   Kyogre became available through Raid Battles, lasting until February 15, 2018.
Jan 23, 2018                         23 additional Generation III Pokémon became available. The following families were introduced: Whismur, Nosepass, Aron, Numel, Torkoal, Trapinch, Cacnea, Lunatone, Solrock, Baltoy, Lileep, and Anorith.
Feb 9, 2018                         19 additional Generation III Pokémon are released. The following families were introduced: Taillow, Wingull, Surskit, Volbeat, Illumise, Swablu, Castform, Tropius, Chimecho, Bagon, and Beldum.
Mar 27, 2018   Mew became available through the Special Research mode that was activated alongside Field Research on the same day.
Apr 2, 2018    Latias and Latios became available through Raid Battles. Latias was available in available in Europe, Asia, and Australia while Latios could be found in North America, South America, and Africa. They switched locations on May 8, and were available until June 5.
May 30, 2018   Alolan Exeggutor became available.
Jun 21, 2018             Alolan Rattata, Meowth, Grimer, Vulpix, and Sandshrew lines became available through special 7km Eggs obtained via Gifts. Alolan Rattata and Raticate became catchable in the wild on June 23.[7]
Jul 14, 2018        Alolan Geodude and Diglett were made temporarily available to catch in the wild. Starting on July 19, they became exclusive to 7km Eggs. Celebi became available through Special Research at Pokémon Go Fest 2018.
Jul 19, 2018     Alolan Raichu and Marowak became available through Raid Battles.
Aug 1, 2018   Spinda became available through Field Research.
Aug 20, 2018   Celebi became available through Special Research globally.[8]
Sep 13, 2018   Regirock became available in raids until September 30.
Sep 21, 2018   Deoxys became available through EX Raid Battles, replacing Mewtwo.
Oct 16, 2018                            26 Generation IV Pokémon became available. The following families were introduced: Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup, Starly, Bidoof, Kricketot, Shinx, Pachirisu, Buneary, Chatot, Riolu, and Carnivine.[9]
Oct 23, 2018        6 additional Generation IV Pokémon became available. The following families were introduced: Drifloon, Stunky, Spiritomb, and Giratina. Spiritomb can be obtained in a Special Research, while Giratina is available in raids from October 23 until November 20.
Nov 1, 2018     Nincada is exclusive through Field Research, and Shedinja through Research Breakthrough.
Nov 6, 2018     Budew became available in Eggs and Buizel in the wild.
Nov 14, 2018               11 additional Generation IV Pokémon became available: Roserade, Mismagius, Honchkrow, Weavile, Rhyperior, Electivire, Magmortar, Togekiss, Gliscor, Porygon-Z, and Dusknoir. All are the evolved forms of earlier generation Pokémon, and require a Sinnoh Stone to be obtained. Meltan is also made available via the Mystery Box or through Special Research, and can evolve into Melmetal with  400.
Nov 20, 2018   Cresselia became available in raids until December 18.
Dec 18, 2018                 14 additional Generation IV Pokémon became available. The Bronzor, Skorupi, Croagunk, Finneon and Snover lines were released to the wild, Chingling, Munchlax, and Mantyke became available in 7km eggs, and Heatran became available in raids until January 15, 2019.
Jan 30, 2019   Palkia became available in raids until February 28.
Feb 1, 2019                 14 additional Generation IV Pokémon became available. The Cranidos, Shieldon, Combee and Glameow lines became available. Ambipom, Lickilicky, Tangrowth, Yanmega, Gallade and Froslass are the evolved forms of earlier generation Pokémon, and require a Sinnoh Stone to be obtained.
Feb 13, 2019   Happiny became available through 7 km eggs, in conjunction with the Valentine's Day 2019 event.
Feb 15, 2019   Mamoswine became available as part of the Swinub Community Day by evolving Piloswine with a Sinnoh Stone.
Feb 23, 2019     The Clamperl line became available through Limited Research and later in the wild.
Feb 25, 2019   Smeargle became available through using the AR Camera.
Mar 1, 2019   Dialga became available in raids until March 28.
Mar 25, 2019   Defense Forme Deoxys became available in EX Raid Battles.
Apr 2, 2019   Origin Forme Giratina became available in raids until April 29.
Apr 29, 2019         Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf became available in the wild, and later in raids. Shellos and Gastrodon were also accidently made available in the wild for about 30 minutes.
May 17, 2019                     14 additional Generation IV Pokémon became available, with the Burmy, Cherubi, Gible and Hippopotas lines. Magnezone, Leafeon, Glaceon and Probopass were new evolutions of old Pokémon, available through new types of Lure Module. Additionally, Shellos and Gastrodon were formally and permanently added, with their forms becoming region-exclusive several hours after initial release.
Jun 13, 2019   Jirachi became available through Special Research at Pokémon GO Fest 2019 Chicago and later Dortmund and Yokohama.
Jun 28, 2019   Speed Forme Deoxys became available in EX Raid Battles.
Sep 16, 2019                                                46 Generation V Pokémon became available. The following families were introduced: Snivy, Tepig, Oshawott, Patrat, Lillipup, Purrloin, Pansage, Pansear, Panpour, Pidove, Blitzle, Drilbur, Foongus, Ferroseed, Klink, Litwick, Golett, Heatmor, Durant, and Deino.
Sep 26, 2019   Mime Jr. became available to hatch from 5km Eggs in Europe.
Oct 17, 2019     Darkrai became available in raids until November 1, while Yamask became available in the wild.
Nov 2, 2019   Regigigas became available through a paid, limited-time Special Research event and later in EX Raid Battles on November 18.
Nov 4, 2019   Cobalion became available in raids until November 26.
Nov 16, 2019   Galarian Weezing became available in raids.
Nov 26, 2019   Terrakion became available in raids until December 17.
Dec 17, 2019   Virizion became available in raids until January 7, 2020.
Dec 24, 2019     The families of Cubchoo and Cryogonal became available in the wild.
Jan 10, 2020                                     34 additional Generation V Pokémon became available: the families of Roggenrola, Timburr, Tympole, Throh, Sawk, Venipede, Basculin, Maractus, Dwebble, Sigilyph, Tirtouga, Archen, Trubbish, Karrablast, Joltik, Axew, and Shelmet.

Region-exclusive Pokémon

Certain sets of Pokémon appear to be exclusive to certain regions in the world. During special events, some of these Pokémon have been made available in other regions. The territories described below are generally limited to broad descriptions, sacrificing precise accuracy. Many community-sourced maps can be found that will show these boundaries in much greater detail, such as this.

The following list has been divided based on the type of regional exclusivity.

Set 1
Pokémon Region
  Farfetch'd East Asia
  Kangaskhan Australia and Papua New Guinea
  Mr. Mime Europe
  Tauros United States, southern Canada, and parts of northern Mexico *
  Heracross Mexico, Central and South America*
  Torkoal West, Central, and South Asia
  Tropius Africa and Middle East
  Relicanth Certain islands east of Australia*
  Pachirisu Alaska, Canada, and Asian Russia*
  Sigilyph Egypt, Greece, and Israel
Set 2
Pokémon Region
  Volbeat Europe and Asia-Pacific
  Lunatone*
  Zangoose*
  Sawk
  Illumise Americas, Africa, and Middle East
  Solrock*
  Seviper*
  Throh
Set 3
Pokémon Region
  Shellos
(West Sea)
Western Hemisphere
  Basculin
(Blue-Striped Form)
  Heatmor
  Shellos
(East Sea)
Eastern Hemisphere
  Basculin
(Red-Striped Form)
  Durant
Set 4
Pokémon Region
  Uxie Asia-Pacific
  Pansage
  Mesprit Europe, Middle East, and Africa
  Pansear
  Azelf Americas and Greenland
  Panpour
Special Regions
Pokémon Region
  Corsola Tropics*
  Chatot Southern Hemisphere
  Carnivine Southeastern United States and the northern Bahamas
  Maractus Southern United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America


Legendary and Mythical Pokémon

Most Legendary Pokémon have only been released for strictly limited periods in Raid Battles. Several have had repeat appearances in later raids or as Research Breakthrough encounters. Mewtwo and Deoxys originally appeared in special EX Raids. EX Passes grant players the ability to participate in an EX Raid and are distributed on a semi-random basis to players who have recently completed a Raid at the Gym where the EX Raid will take place.

Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf have been available in the wild, in their respective regions, as a very rare spawn since April 30, 2019.

The Mythical Pokémon Mew, Celebi, and Jirachi have been made available as rewards for completing their respective Special Research tasks. Meltan, which can be evolved into Melmetal, can be spawned using the Mystery Box.

The following lists all Legendary and Mythical Pokémon that have been made available in Raid Battles.

Pokémon Raid dates Research dates
Articuno   Jul. 22 - 31, 2017
Jul. 7, 2018* 
Sep. 13 - 20, 2018
Jun. 2018
Dec. 2018 - Feb. 2019
Nov. - Dec. 2019
Zapdos   Aug. 7 - Sep. 1, 2017
Jul. 21, 2018 
Sep. 13 - 20, 2018
May 2018
Dec. 2018 - Feb. 2019
Nov. - Dec. 2019
Moltres   Jul. 31, 2017 - Aug. 7, 2017
Sep. 8, 2018 
Sep. 13 - 20, 2018
Apr. 2018
Dec. 2018 - Feb. 2019
Nov. - Dec. 2019
Mewtwo   Sep. 20 - Oct. 23, 2018
Sep. 16 - 23, 2019 
Armored Mewtwo   Jul. 10 - 31, 2019
Raikou   Sep. 1, 2017 - Nov. 30, 2018*
Jun. 29, 2019 
Sep. 2 - 9, 2019
Aug. 2018
Dec. 2018 - Apr. 2019
Entei   Sep. 1, 2017 - Nov. 30, 2018*
Jul. 14, 2019 
Sep. 2 - 9, 2019
Sep. 2018
Dec. 2018 - Apr. 2019
Suicune   Sep. 1, 2017 - Nov. 30, 2018*
Aug. 17, 2019 
Sep. 2 - 9, 2019
Oct. 2018
Dec. 2018 - Apr. 2019
Lugia   Jul. 22 - 24, 2017
Mar. 16 - Apr. 2, 2018 
Jul. 14 - 15, 2018
Dec. 14 - 17, 2018
Dec. 20 - 23, 2019
Jan. - Jun. 2019
Ho-Oh   Nov. 27 - Dec. 14, 2017
May 19 - Jun. 7, 2018 
Aug. 24 - 27, 2018
Dec. 14 - 17, 2018
Dec. 20 - 23, 2019
Jan. - Jun. 2019
Regirock   Sep. 13 - 30, 2018
Nov. 1 - 4, 2019 
Mar. - Apr. 2019
Regice   Jul. 19 - Aug. 16, 2018
Nov. 1 - 4, 2019 
Dec. 28, 2019
Mar. - Apr. 2019
Registeel   Jun. 21 - Jul. 19, 2018
Nov. 1 - 4, 2019 
Mar. - Apr. 2019
Latias   Apr. 2 - Jun. 7, 2018
Feb. 22 - Mar. 1, 2019 
May - Aug. 2019
Latios   Apr. 2 - Jun. 7, 2018
Apr. 15 - 22, 2019 
May - Aug. 2019
Kyogre   Jan. 12 - Feb. 9, 2018
Feb. 23, 2018 - Mar. 5, 2018
Jun. 7 - 22, 2018 
Jan. 15 - 29, 2019
Jun. 18 - 27, 2019
Jul. - Aug. 2019
Nov. - Dec. 2019
Groudon   Dec. 15, 2017 - Jan. 16, 2018
Feb. 23 - Mar. 5, 2018
Jan. 15 - 29, 2019 
Apr. 29 - May 2, 2019
Jun. 27 - Jul. 10, 2019
Jul. - Aug. 2019
Nov. - Dec. 2019
Rayquaza   Jan. 12 - Mar. 16, 2018
Mar. 15 - 18, 2019
Jul. 31 - Sep. 2, 2019 
Deoxys
(Normal Forme)
  Sep. 9 - 16, 2019
Deoxys
(Attack Forme)
  Sep. 9 - 16, 2019
Deoxys
(Defense Forme)
  Sep. 9 - 16, 2019
Deoxys
(Speed Forme)
  Sep. 9 - 16, 2019
Uxie*   May 2 - 27, 2019
Aug. 28, 2019
Mesprit*   May 2 - 27, 2019
Aug. 28, 2019
Azelf*   May 2 - 27, 2019
Aug. 28, 2019
Dialga   Mar. 1 - 28, 2019
Palkia   Jan. 29 - Feb. 28, 2019
Heatran   Dec. 18, 2018 - Jan. 15, 2019
Jan. 7 - Feb. 4, 2020 
Giratina
(Altered Forme)
  Oct. 23 - Nov. 20, 2018
Mar. 28 - Apr. 2, 2019
Sep. 23 - Oct. 17, 2019 
Giratina
(Origin Forme)
  Apr. 2 - 29, 2019
Cresselia   Nov. 20 - Dec. 18, 2018
May 27 - Jun. 18, 2019 
Darkrai   Oct. 17 - Nov. 1, 2019
Cobalion   Nov. 4 - 26, 2019
Terrakion   Nov. 26 - Dec. 17, 2019
Virizion   Dec. 17, 2019 - Jan. 7, 2020
EX Raids
Mewtwo   Aug. 14, 2017 - Sep. 20, 2018
Sep. 25 - Nov. 12, 2019
Deoxys
(Normal Forme)
  Oct. 1, 2018 - Jan. 4, 2019
Deoxys
(Attack Forme)
  Dec. 18, 2018 - Mar. 24, 2019
Deoxys
(Defense Forme)
  Mar. 25 - Jun. 23, 2019
Deoxys
(Speed Forme)
  Jun. 28 - Sep. 25, 2019
Regigigas   Nov. 18, 2019 -

Special availability

Certain species will never be obtainable through any method involving capture. Baby Pokémon can only be obtained by hatching Eggs, and Pokémon that are evolved into using an item can only be obtained via evolution. Alolan Sandshrew, Vulpix, Meowth, and Grimer can only be obtained from hatching 7 km Eggs.

Some species, while obtainable by capturing, neither appear normally in the wild nor evolve from Pokémon that do. Instead, these Pokémon can only be encountered through other methods.

Event-induced availability

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.

While Eevee's evolution is normally random, it can be nicknamed to force it to evolve into a specific Pokémon: "Sparky" for Jolteon, "Rainer" for Vaporeon, "Pyro" for Flareon[10] (the names of the Eevee brothers in the Pokémon anime), "Sakura" for Espeon, "Tamao" for Umbreon (two of the Kimono Girls in the anime), "Linnea" for Leafeon, and "Rea" for Glaceon (two of the Eevee users). Each nickname can only influence evolution once per player.

Ceratin real-world events will occasionally release Pokémon into the wild that are usually locked to a specific method, such as having region- or raid-exclusive Pokémon appearing in the wild.

During certain conventions or other events, specific letters of Unown may be made available at a greatly increased rate in the vicinity of the event. The letters made available relate to the event, such as C, H, I, A, G, and O for Pokémon GO Fest in Chicago.

During some special events, featured Pokémon may be caught wearing a commemorative costume. For example, Pikachu and Pichu may be caught or hatched wearing a special hat, and Raichu will retain the hat upon evolution. During the Squirtle Community Day on July 8, 2018, Sunglasses Squirtle based on the Squirtle Squad from the anime was made available through Field Research; Wartortle and Blastoise will both retain the glasses on evolution. During the 2019 Valentines Day event, a Spinda based on the heart-spotted one from Going for a Spinda can be obtained from Field Research. For Pokémon Day 2019, an Eevee with a hat was added alongside Pikachu; its evolutions retain the hat on evolution.

See also: List of Pokémon with form differences → Pokémon GO

Since September 2018, certain Pokémon have been made available in 7 km eggs as part of an event, including regional- and raid-exclusive Pokémon such as Tauros and Absol, respectively.

Events

Main article: List of events in Pokémon GO

Pokémon GO features a variety of both local and global events throughout the year, which often feature increased wild spawns of thematic Pokémon, bonuses for certain in-game activities, and new releases of Shiny.

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

  This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.

As of version 0.145.0 a suffix has been added to the game's version number as shown in the Settings screen to indicate the store the app was acquired from:

  • -A the app was acquired on the Apple App Store.
  • -G the app was acquired on the Google Play Store.
  • -S the app was acquired on the Samsung Galaxy Store.

As of version 0.157.0, on Android, the Google Play version of the game comes in two separate files for phones supporting either 32bit or 64bit applications.

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:[13]

  • Android devices: Android 5+ (rooted devices are not supported), preferred resolution of 720×1280 pixels (not optimized for tablet)
  • iOS devices: iPhone 5 and newer, iOS 10 and newer (jailbroken devices are not supported)
    • Apple Watch support was added on December 22, 2016.
    • Discontinued support for certain Apple devices from 2013 and older as of February 28, 2018.[14]

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 plan to add connectivity with the next entry in the core series Pokémon games.[15][16]

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), Meltan, and its evolved form, Melmetal, can be transferred. Upon transferring Pokémon to a Let's Go! game for the first time, the player will receive the Mystery Box in Pokémon GO, which is used to spawn wild Meltan.

Partnerships

  This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.
Reason: Partnerships in Japan, Big Heritage partnership

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 Gyms; sponsored locations do not appear in the game for players under the age of 13.

Pokémon GO partnered with Globe in the Philippines. Starting on October 28, 2016, Globe retail locations and charging stations became PokéStops and Gyms. Globe also worked with Ayala Malls, Puregold, Robinsons Malls, and SM Supermalls.[17] The partnership ended on midnight of March 15, 2018 (local time).[18]

Pokémon GO partnered with Sprint in the United States. Starting December 7, 2016, 10,500 Sprint, Boost Mobile, and Sprint at Radioshack 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.

Pokémon GO partnered with Starbucks in the United States. Starting December 8, 2016, 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 Frappuccino blended beverage and raspberry syrup blended with freeze-dried whole blackberries and topped with whipped cream.

Pokémon GO partnered with Reliance Jio Infocomm (which operates under the name Jio) in India. Starting December 13, 2016, nearly 3,000 Jio stores (thousands of Reliance Digital 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 SIM 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 Unibail-Rodamco 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.

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 Mr. Isihara. Development began. Junichi Masuda worked with Niantic on the game's development.[19]

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.[20] However, no beta testing occurred during 2015.[21][22]

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[23][24]
  • Australia and New Zealand: held from April 25 to June 30, 2016, announced on April 7, 2016[25]
  • United States: held from May 25 to June 30, 2016, announced on May 16, 2016[26]

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.[27]

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.[28] The release in Brazil was only a couple of days prior to the beginning of the 2016 Summer Olympics 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 Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Myanmar, mainland China, Tunisia, Algeria, Mali, Senegal, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, Angola, and Zimbabwe.

Gallery

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, 2019
February 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

Trivia

  • This is the only Pokémon game to have the word "Pokémon" spelled in Latin letters in its Japanese name.
  • Pokémon GO has been banned in Iran[29] and Mainland China[30] due to security concerns. However, some Iranians are still playing the game publicly regardless.[31]
  • 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 video[32] advertising the position of Pokémon Master at the company.

In other languages

Language Title
  Japanese Pokémon GO
Chinese Cantonese Pokémon GO
Mandarin Pokémon GO
  French Pokémon GO
  German Pokémon GO
  Italian Pokémon GO
  Korean Pokémon GO
  Brazilian Portuguese Pokémon GO
  Spanish Pokémon GO

See also

External links

References

  1. Announcement of game availability on Galaxy Store
  2. Discontinued support for Apple Watch
  3. Niantic Switches to OpenStreetMap in Pokémon GO
  4. Recommendations for new (Pokémon GO) mappers by community members
  5. The Official 50 Gen 3 list : TheSilphRoad
  6. Generation 3 pokemon release status (wild, nest,...) : TheSilphRoad
  7. Alolan Rattata appearing on my sightings! : TheSilphRoad
  8. Celebi Quest is Live : TheSilphRoad
  9. : TheSilphRoad
  10. PSA - How to force your Eevee to evolve into your choice of Eeveelution! : pokemongo
  11. https://www.facebook.com/PokemonGO/posts/927439090735983
  12. https://twitter.com/PokemonGoApp/status/847140011027910657
  13. Supported devices – Pokémon GO
  14. Discontinued support for certain Apple devices from 2013 and older
  15. Pokémon GO - Demonstration - Nintendo E3 2016 (YouTube)
  16. News From the Pokémon GO Announcement - Pokemon.com (archived July 15, 2016)
  17. Globe Telecom enhances The Pokémon GO Experience for PH Gamers
  18. Globe Telecom is no longer sponsoring Pokémon GO in the Philippines
  19. Game Informer #81: Pokénomenon
  20. INGRESS REPORT - Begin New Journey - Raw Feed September 10 2015
  21. Pokémon GO - Pokemon.com (archived February 7, 2016)
  22. 『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
  23. Pokémon GO - Pokemon.com (archived March 3, 2016)
  24. Pokémon GO field testing will begin in Japan - Niantic, Inc.
  25. Pokémon GO field testing expands to Australia and New Zealand - Niantic, Inc.
  26. Pokémon GO field testing expands to the United States - Niantic, Inc.
  27. Pokémon Go GDC Presentation Canceled - www.GameInformer.com
  28. Pokémon GO : The Pokémon Company confirme le report français
  29. Pokemon Go banned by Iranian authorities over 'security' | BBC
  30. Pokémon Go banned by China authorities over 'safety' and 'security' | Forbes
  31. Iranians hunt Pokemon despite ban | Yahoo
  32. Google Maps: Pokémon Challenge



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  This article is part of Project Sidegames, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon Sidegames.