‘Pokemon Go’ price, release date and accessories announced, gameplay footage released

Of the upcoming “Pokemon” titles coming up, “Pokemon Go” has been one of the majorly anticipated titles. And now, Niantic Labs, The Pokemon Company and Nintendo have confirmed that it will be out for iOS and Android devices come July.

“Pokemon Go” is actuall a smartphone app AR title from Niantic. However, there is an accessory wearable device, the “Pokemon Go” Plus, that will allow players to enjoy the game even without their smartphones.

It will be sold at US$34.99 (approx. AU$47). But according to The Verge, the device will not be available at the time of the game’s launch.

Interestingly, the developer revealed that “Pokemon Go” had started as an April Fools’ Day project back in 2013. It was actually a Pokemon Challenge with Google. According to developer Tatsuo Nomura,

It was one of the April Fools’ Day joke that I worked on when I was back in the Google Maps team. And that Pokemon challenge got me connected with Niantic who started this real-world gaming genre,” said Nomura.

The video shows a few screenshots of Pokemon captured in the real world via camera. Some snapshots show off Pikachu in front of a dog. The Pokemon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara also shared that when he walked his dog, he would see Pokemon in the natural environment thanks to “Pokemon Go. In Los Angeles alone, Ishihara shared some snapshots of Pokemon lingering around.

The full video of the interview can be seen below. Apart from the Q&A with the developers, the 40-minute video will also show off some gameplay for “Pokemon Go,” DualShockers reported. Specifically, there are some scenes that show how the players make use of the Poke Ball to catch a Pokemon present in the “Pokemon Go.”

Over at the official Niantic Labs blog, the developer has also confirmed a few new updates for the game. A Camera feature has been added so that Trainers can take photographs of the wild Pokemon encounters. This makes the Trainer-Pokemon relationship even stronger, because “Pokemon Go” players can take a photo with Squirtle next to the lake or an Ivysaur by the park—locations that match the Pokemon’s natural habitat.

These photos can be saved in the smartphone for sharing. For travellers, this gives a different spin to how the next travel adventure will be like. “Pokemon Go” will also have its own soundtrack care of GameFreak’s Junichi Masuda.