Pokemon Go Announced: Pokemon Goes Mobile

[xaszatm]

Pokemon Go Announced: Pokemon Goes Mobile

Pokemon meets the real world in mobile AR game: Pokemon Go. Created by Nintendo, Pokemon Company, and Ingress creator Niantic Games

As the start of the conference, president of Pokemon Company Tsunekazu Ishihara gave his condolences to the late Nintendo president Mr. Iwata. He said that Iwata was a huge help in this upcoming project then revealed the trailer below.


The above was a trailer to a new Pokemon AR smartphone game: Pokemon Go. Made for Android and iPhone, Pokemon Go will bring Pokemon into the real world. All three presidents of each company then preceded to describe how the game would work.

Pokemon President Tsunekazu Ishihara explained that Pokemon would be found in random places in the real world. He noted how many worlds in Pokemon connected had real world equivalents. You could find an catch Pokemon in places you explored. He also expressed interest in seeing how Pokemon Go would fit into future mainline titles of Pokemon, confirming that this game is another spinoff.

Niantic Games President John Hanke said that Ingress is the basis for this new Pokemon mobile game. Ingress, a game developed by Niantic during their stint with Google, had a similar playstyle to what Pokemon Go wants to achieve.

[img='http://i.imgur.com/G8jpGyQ.png']

Special Guest Juinchi Masuda, a developer for this game, also revealed the Pokemon Go Plus, a small add-on to Pokemon Go similar to the Pokemon Pedometer and Pokemon Pikachu games. Pokemon Go Plus can fit on the arm like a watch or be worn like a clip. It will make light and vibrate whenever there is a Pokemon near for Pokemon Go. It connect to the smartphone via Bluetooth.

President Miyamoto filled the role as Nintendo President and also expressed his interest in this project. He stated that he used to see Pokemon as a "Rookie" but now sees that it is a large franchise.

[img=http://i.imgur.com/L5i5AwT.png]s[/img]

And that was the conference. I personally see this more akin to the Pokemon Pikachu/Pokemon Odometer rather than a replacement of Pokemon main games because Pokemon Company has done this before. What do you guys think?

 

[CrimsonBlaze]

I think there was something akin to this joked around by Google some time ago.

While it's no confirmation of a Gen 6 third installment or a new Gen altogether, I might just download if it's free to see if it's deeper than it appears to be in the trailer.

 

[Saltyk]

Kinda strange to see Nintendo making a game for a phone. I wonder if we'll see them release some classic games on the phone at some point as well.

As for this game, it looks kinda interesting, but the trailer shows nothing of the actual game. We don't see how the game actually works. Only how Nintendo wants you to imagine it working. Do we just throw Pokemon out to battle or do we have some control over their actions? Do they level and evolve? Can I team up with my friend to play against others? Can we engage in a Battle Royale? Some of these things are implied, but not actually shown. All in all, it's probably the least informative trailer I can imagine.

I'm sure I have friends that will be interested in it, though. I might look into it, after we get some actual information.

 

[leberkaese]

I call thievery! A friend and me discussed this years ago! "How awesome it would be to have an AR Pokemon game..." "What a great game, we totally should do that!"

We already planned how to monetize it (normal Pokeballs can be bought using ingame money, but better ones have to be bought with our ingame shop), how to realize it (kickstarter!) and how to circumvent copyright claims by Nintendo (do some knockoff monsters and allow modding support, so people would be able to put in 'real' Pokemon).

Did we actually start devolping the game? Of course not! Was it predictable that we aren't the only people with that idea? Totally! Would we ever be succesful by actually realising our idea? Never! Was it more than a typical 'We totally should do that, dude!'-idea that'll never see the light of the day? Sure it wasn't!

 

[DanteRL]

I like the idea of a "Pokémon President" =P

As for all things involving Nintendo, this can go really well, or really wrong. Is a neat idea, though by the last seconds of the video, it doesn't seem to be using AR, but that could be only concept, like everything else. I don't really mind much about AR, if the battle system is like the one in the main series, it will be great. I just hope it isn't some automatic stuff like Saltyk mentioned, because that would suck. Wonder if those special events will happen only in major cities too.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

Pokemon. A game series almost exclusively on small, handheld, battery powered Gameboy like devices. Devicse small enough to fit in backpack, coat pockets or cargo pants, almost all of which come with carrying cases for a not-so-subtle hint at its ability to be carried from one location to another...

...is now, now, 2015, going mobile.

 

[Something Amyss]

I think there was something akin to this joked around by Google some time ago.

They did one where you could capture Pokémon on Google Maps. Is that what you mean?

 

[Scarim Coral]

I liked the concept of it but I rather see some actual footage of it and if it required 3G to be on all the time (I'm a pay as you go with my phone). Also my mate told me that it could be microtranaction.

 

[Zaltys]

So how will that work, anyway?
There seems to be some kind of a tracker for nearby Pokemon. And if it's actually random... I expect a lot of news like "7-year old boy lost in the woods".

And imagine some kid ringing your doorbell and telling you that there's a rare pokemon in your apartment, and he wants to catch it.

 

[loa]

I don't really understand why companies think misleading trailers are a good first impression of the thing they want to sell.

 

[wings012]

Ingress sounded awesome so I tried it.

And realized that I don't actually go anywhere that much. Also phone internet is kinda poop in Malaysia, which restricts my ability to play.

The whole based on the real world thing sounds cool, but is ultimately inconvenient.

At best it's a nice little distraction for people who move around a lot in their daily lives.

 

[DanteRL]

So how will that work, anyway?
There seems to be some kind of a tracker for nearby Pokemon. And if it's actually random... I expect a lot of news like "7-year old boy lost in the woods".

And imagine some kid ringing your doorbell and telling you that there's a rare pokemon in your apartment, and he wants to catch it.

Also, there's in a scene of a guy just entering an empty alley in the trailer. That can not be safe anywhere in the world! Where I live, the only Pokémon you will find like that is a bunch of kids stealing your wallet.

 

[CaitSeith]

I don't really understand why companies think misleading trailers are a good first impression of the thing they want to sell.

It's called marketing, to make people relate the name of the product to something memorable. And it works when done well.

OT: I think the concept sounds great. If the 3DS had mobile Internet and GPS support, the game probably would had been made for it. I notice that people in the trailer are wearing some kind of accessory. I wonder what kind of gimmick Nintendo will try to pull out with it.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Cool concept.
This is the actual gameplay.

The game I played on the Game Boy 17 years ago is now available on cell phones.

 

[CrimsonBlaze]

I think there was something akin to this joked around by Google some time ago.

They did one where you could capture Pokémon on Google Maps. Is that what you mean?

Yeah, it was that one. I'm not sure if they drew inspiration from that joke or if this is was planned some time ago, seeing as Nintendo/Game Freak is expanding their line of games in the mobile/free-to-play area. This might also be a test run as to what the NX might be all about.