'Pokémon GO' Release Date Coming This Month?

By Emily Marks | Jun 02, 2016 05:32 AM EDT

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Fans are still hoping that the "Pokémon GO" release date will arrive in the second quarter of this year. The beta test for the highly-anticipated augmented reality game has begun in the U.S.

Neurogadget reported that the "Pokémon GO" release date is set for the second quarter of 2016. Now that it's June, the last month for Q2 this year, it is expected that the game will be available this month.

Niantic has been conducting field tests for the game since March. It started in Japan and afterwards was extended to Australia and New Zealand. The U.S. beta only began last month.

The "Pokémon GO" release date will bring a game that will allow users to capture, train and use their Pokémon to battle. It will also require players to explore the world. Items can be bought from several Poke Stops set in real-life places such as landmarks, monuments as well as museums.

According to Siliconera, screenshots of the "Pokémon GO" gameplay has recently been leaked. It showed the game's AR and trainer customization. The photos also revealed what the Pokémon eggs looked like.

Kotaku noted that the "Pokémon GO" gameplay has a completely new battling system design. The battles are run in real-time. Players' Pokémon use a basic attack, a dodge or a charged move to deal more damage.

While this sounds cool in theory, the publication noted that "it's a clunky, laggy, opaque system." Moreover, the only battles available are in the Gyms, similar to "Ingress" portals.

"For a massively multiplayer game like Pokémon Go, the lack of social options is surely the most disappointing aspect," an anonymous writer wrote. "Pokémon GO" is described as a "lonely game with no NPCs or story content, and it desperately needs some sense of progression or competition to salvage its already-flagging tester base."

Hopefully, the "Pokémon GO" beta test in the U.S. will bring about more users for the game. The feedback of early testers will also be useful in the enhancement of the game.

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