'Pokemon Go' Release Date is February 2016? Niantic Reveals Game Design Elements, Elaborates On Nintendo Partnership

Nintendo's partnership with Niantic Labs and the development of "Pokemon Go," a location-based video game app for mobiles, is one of the most anticipated project releases next year. If reports are to be believed, gamers might finally see its launch on February 2016.

A fan-created video posted on YouTube was cited as the source for the release date despite no official statements from Nintendo or Niantic. The person on the video stated that Nintendo will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the release of "Pokemon Red" and "Pokemon Green" next year and the gaming company might choose to release its newest product on the same date.  It should be noted that "Red" and "Green" were both launched in Feb. 27, 1996.

However, the development of "Pokemon Go" was announced only last October via Niantic's blog. It's speculated that the short period of time between the announcement and the alleged release date might make it impossible for the game to be ready.  

Meanwhile, Niantic executive John Hanke recently discussed a few of the game design elements of "Pokemon Go" with Venture Beat. Hanke confirmed that Pokemon characters for this version will be living in areas based on their types. "Water Pokémon will live near the water. It may be that certain Pokémon will only exist in certain parts of the world. Very rare Pokémon may exist in very few places."

He also confirmed that there will be Pokemon events that will bring out the gamers' competitive and fun side. "There will be teams to join in Pokémon, more than two. Those teams will compete against one another."

Pokemon trading will also be a huge part of the game design. "You can't get all of them by yourself. If you want all of them you'll have to trade with other players. Or you have to be someone who takes time off work and travels the world for a year," added Hanke.

Hanke also detailed how Nintendo "resisted mobile for a long time," but CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara and his wife are apparently high level "Ingress" players. "Ingress" is the mobile gaming app created by Niantic that became instrumental to the partnership with Nintendo.

"They saw Ingress as a perfect match for Pokémon. We were practically finishing each other's sentences," Hanke said, per Nintendo Enthusiast. "Ingress, you conquer portals. Pokemon, obviously, you'd go out into the real world and find Pokemon and battle them against other players and trade them and go to gyms. That's how it's going to work."