Pokemon GO First Impressions Will "Snap" Into AR (And Maybe VR, Too)

This week we're pouring over the Pokemon GO details revealed by its creators at SXSW, including a video clip showing gameplay. This game was revealed last year in part, having spawned from Google's world of interactive map-friendly gameplay – Ingress. Created by the same people that made Ingress, Pokemon GO will be released to smartphones and tablets, coming around the world to iPhones, iPads, and Android devices of all sorts very soon.

Shigeru Miyamoto, Senior Managing Director, Nintendo Co., Ltd., and Tsunekazu Ishihara, President and CEO, The Pokémon Company spoke about what users will feel when they first see the Pokemon GO game experience. "[The game] really reminded me of the Pokémon Snap project that I worked on with Mr. Iwata," said Mr. Miyamoto. "This time, instead of taking photos, we're going to actual places in the real world to catch Pokémon, but it definitely gives off a similar feeling."

"That's right," said Mr. Ishihara. "I think it shares the same sense of being in the same space with a Pokémon and staring at it face to face."

Sources close to the production of this game (who wish to remain anonymous) have suggested that work has been done testing the game in VR/AR, with what we now know as Google Cardboard. When pressed for more information about whether or not the game would work on Google's Google's rumored dedicated VR headset, this same source would only reiterate that the game has been tested on Android and iOS smartphones, and that IF the game ends up being available as a Virtual Reality title (augmented reality, as it were), it'd be through smartphones first.

Beta testing has begun for the standard smartphone version of the game.

In Japan.

According to an official Niantic representative, "The Pokémon Company and Niantic will be inviting users to field test Pokémon GO in Japan later this month. The Pokémon GO field test program will give users the opportunity to share early feedback and help improve the Pokémon GO experience. Please stay tuned for information about expansion of the field test to other markets."

The video clip below is said to have come from the SXSW panel by the name of "The Future of AR Is Already in Your Pocket" as presented by Niantic CEO John Hanke.

Look like a good place to start? We'll be joining in on the fun as soon as possible. Stay tuned to SlashGear's Pokemon tag portal for more.