'Pokemon Go' news: Augmented-reality game may be released in May 2016

(Pokemon website)

The thought of playing a game in the real world with real locations to go to has gotten gamers from different countries more excited than ever for the launch and release of "Pokemon Go."

However, there is no concrete date announced yet from the developers except for the game's projected launch this year, which was announced on Pokemon's website.

Despite the lack of an official statement from Nintendo, Niantic and The Pokemon Company, one gamer speculated that "Pokemon Go" might be finally available in February 2016. They might choose the same date as the release of "Pokemon Red" and "Pokemon Green," to mark the two games' 20th anniversary. They were both launched on Feb. 27, 1996.

Fans are doubtful of the claim, though, as the time between the announcement of the game's development (which was only on Oct. 15, 2015) and the alleged release date is too short for such an ambitious game. This is not just another game that forces players to sit down on a couch and hold their consoles to play. They have to go out of their houses to get into battles or find a Pokemon.

"The places that you'll interact with in the real world — historical sites, artwork, prominent or special local businesses, those will play a role in 'Pokémon Go,'" Google Earth co-creator John Hanke, who also conceived location-based game "Ingress," revealed in his interview with VentureBeat in December 2015.

"[E]ncouraging people to take a walk in the park and see some aspect of their city they haven't seen before, to go explore a nook or cranny in a part of the city they haven't been to before so they can get a new Pokémon, that will be at work. Measuring how far people have walked and all of that will have specific payoffs for players," he added.

In the same interview, Hanke confirmed that characters will be found in places based on their types. For example, a Water Pokemon (e.g. Poliwhirl, Squirtle, and Magikarp) will be near bodies of water. Moreover, there will be events, competitions, and Pokemon trading to get gamers truly immersed into the game and have fun.

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