‘Pokémon GO’ Could Revolutionize The Popular Nintendo Series, Experts Say


Pokémon GO is taking the popular Nintendo game where it’s never gone before, and experts say it could be the game-changer the series needs.

The video game company announced the Pokémon GO game this week, an iPhone and Android-compatible app that will allow users to take their battles into the real world. Users will be able to search their neighborhoods for Pokémon with the app prompting when there’s a Pokémon nearby or another player looking for a challenge.

To get a better idea, here is the official promotional video Nintendo has released to announce Pokémon GO.

Entertainment Weekly noted there are some drawbacks — like more reticent users who might not feel comfortable striking up a game with a stranger — but said the concept sounds revolutionary.

“All-in, Pokémon GO sounds insane — and fantastic, if you’ve been holding out hope that your childhood faith in full Pokémon immersion would one day be rewarded. (We already have a real-world Jynx, after all.) It’s a damn cool time to be a Pokémon fan, and based on the characters who pop up in the teaser, the companies involved (Niantic, Inc., The Pokémon Company, and Nintendo) are going after the nostalgia crowd who have only pledged loyalty to the original 150.”

Kotaku noted the key to the success of Pokémon GO will be Niantic, the developers working on the game. The company’s previous game, Ingress, allows people to use smartphones to set up portals that other users can fight to control.

The game was a wild success, Kotaku noted, and commented on just how big Pokémon GO could be.

“Imagine, for example, having to travel to an actual volcano to capture a Charizard—Pokémon are region-specific, after all. Imagine making eye contact with another stranger, and feeling the need to challenge them right there, just like you would in the games. Imagine banding together with other players to form a real-world Team Rocket, whose sole aim is to cause havoc and steal PokémonIngress certainly had its share of trolls.”

The initial download of Pokémon GO will be free, but like almost all free games there will be plenty of opportunities to deposit real money for upgrades and other perks.

Players who want a chance to see Pokémon GO for themselves will have to wait. The game is set to be released sometime in 2016.

[Image courtesy of The Pokémon Company via YouTube/The Official Pokémon Channel]

Share this article: ‘Pokémon GO’ Could Revolutionize The Popular Nintendo Series, Experts Say
More from Inquisitr