Pokémon GO Release Date, Rumors: Game Not Cancelled, Fans Fall Victim To Hoax

Oct 13, 2015 05:37 PM EDT


Pokémon GO is not cancelled, as confirmed by a respected gaming publication. This should be a relief for fans, who were quickly in an uproar. As it turns out, they were victims of a vicious hoax permeating on social media and the web.

"Pokémon GO is the augmented reality game that allows its players to capture, train and play with Pokémon it captures in the real world. It caused quite the stir when it was first announced - firstly because it's such an amazing high concept, secondly because it seems like the kind of crazy idea that Nintendo would never sign off on," Kotaku Australia insisted on Monday.

According to the publication, the source of this rumor was traced back to a troll post on Reddit. Though the original poster was quickly outed by fellow community members, this did not stop the cancellation rumor from spreading.

Happily, there are only signs that Pokémon GO is going on steadily. Last month, Nintendo released a live-action trailer that had fans excited for the upcoming title.

Release Date Details Still Murky

As of now, Nintendo has remained mum on release date details. This information vacuum has resulted in the inevitable web speculation. One popular rumor suggests that Pokémon GO will be out by November 20 in the US.

However, PCAdvisor reports that this is unlikely because Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon for Nintendo 3DS will be out in the US on the same date. It simply does not make sense for Nintendo to confuse consumers with simultaneous launch of two Pokémon on two separate platforms.

Other gossip purport Pokémon Go will be available next year instead. In fact, 2016 will be Pokémon's 20th anniversary. So, it is possible that Nintendo will hold the game back until that year. Still, all rumors should be taken with a healthy grain of salt.

Will Pokémon GO Live Up to Expectations

A recent Forbes report suggests that recent live-action trailer is little more than a proof-of-concept video. In short, the gameplay experience may turn out to be duller that what is originally advertised.

The executives at Nintendo want everyone to believe that Pokémon GO will allow players to explore the Pokémon universe via the Go app. Based on the recent live-action trailer, players will wander around their local communities using their smartphones to locate and capture Pokémon. The experience does not actually occur, but is instead simulated on the device. It is unclear whether the video represents actual gameplay.