Pokémon Go 2016

About

Pokémon Go came out on July 6, 2016 for Android, then for iOS on July 7, 2016. It won 13 awards, including SXSW Gaming Awards Mobile Game of the Year and D.I.C.E. Award for Mobile Game of the Year.

Pokémon Go is an augmented reality mobile game that uses GPS to let players locate, capture, train, and battle Pokémon in real-world locations. Players explore their physical surroundings to find PokéStops for items, battle at Gyms for team control, participate in Raid Battles cooperatively, and compete in the Go Battle League's player-versus-player format. The game is free-to-play with in-app purchases and features Pokémon from across multiple generations of the franchise.

What is happening now

Pokémon GO remains the dominant force in mobile gaming over a decade after its 2016 launch. The location-based AR title pulled in $44.2 million during the first week of September alone, reclaiming its position as the world's top-grossing mobile game following its 10th anniversary celebration. Recent months have brought a steady calendar of events and updates. September saw the "Mega Squads" event spotlight Maschiff, while October 2026 plans include a "Harvest Festival" event introducing Generation 9 shiny debuts and a Shadow Legendary encounter. However, player sentiment remains mixed - server reliability continues to be a friction point, and some community members have expressed frustration with what they view as aggressive monetization around popular creatures like Mewtwo, particularly following a weekend event that fell short of expectations.