Once upon a time, Pokemon as a franchise appealed to hundreds of millions around the world. Indeed, it is already the second best-selling video game franchise, after the Mario franchise. This appeal yet breathes fire but it is in this month that the franchise will be resurrected as one of the most successful mobile games to ever be released. Pokemon GO is not only a Pokemon game like any other; it is the embodiment of every Pokemon fan’s dream where one can venture out into the world to catch them all.

Gaming in general has always maintained an anti-social element and attached the player to his console. A player could not leave his house to play; a privilege that became possible with the dawn of mobile gaming. Now, with Pokemon GO, you can take your mobile device and go around the world (literally) in search of Pokemon creatures. This game is already breaking the gaming norms of everyday life. It was Niantic that revolutionized the idea of outside gaming and is now pushing the limits with Pokemon Go.

The game is built on an interesting concept. You can activate the Pokedex using your smartphone and have an augmented reality experience via the camera and supplementary software. However, we need to admit that technology is still limited and your expectations might be too high. For example, when a Pokemon appears on your screen, it will not appear seamlessly in contact with the environment. A Pikachu (which doesn’t fly) might appear in the air, unless you position your smartphone’s camera properly. The promotional videos, of course, exaggerate the experience.

Pokemon GO‘s experience can and will improve as we see new devices released and new technology implemented. There are already new devices that can take advantage of enhanced environment mapping such as Lenovo’s Phab 2 device which uses Google’s Tango technology. With that in mind, we might notice the experience vary for different players depending on the device and operating system; the differences will be minimal.

Pokemon GO will include gyms and pokestops which are located in memorable locations in your surroundings and around the world. As we mentioned previously, gyms will require that you commit to a team: Team Blue, Red, or Yellow. Once you battle and win a gym leader, you become the new gym leader with your Pokemon team holding the gym to fight the next player that comes by the gym. Of course, the players will be fighting an AI, battles won’t be in real-time. The team that defends the gym can be updated since you can replace your team or teach your Pokemon new moves; the game allows you to teach a Pokemon two moves at a time.

Considering that the game is a freemium title, you will be able to pay real money in order to speed up certain processes such as buying a rare candy and other vital items. This may cause a bit of a disadvantage for those that aren’t willing to invest real money into the game. Furthermore, to be competitive in this game you need to play constantly and this means that your app will have to be open for notifications. This can be frustrating but there is a solution for this issue: Pokemon GO Plus. The $34.99 priced accessory notifies you of nearby Pokemon by vibrating and a utility that can be used to catch them even. It can be purchasable by the end of July.

Niantic has announced new features to be included in the game such as the ability to take photographs of the wild Pokemon that you encounter. There is also a new music track composed by GAME FREAK’s Junichi Masuda. Also, the game will be supported by Google Maps which integrates Pokemon creatures all around the world through its database.

If this is your first time reading our Pokemon GO article then click here to read our last article which includes detailed information about the game. Pokemon GO will be released this July, so stay tuned with our website to be notified. You can watch the Pokemon GO demo at E3 below.