Many individuals have considered diving into a virtual reality. They have wanted to become part of a fictional world that they could only access through television, video games or the internet. Now, Pokemon fans are being liberated from the unnerving limbo of reality and can venture across the land, searching far wide, into a newly vitalized world of Pokemon. For the first time ever, individuals can become true Pokemon masters, battling other players and catching Pokemon “in the wild,” through the mobile app Pokemon GO.

Pokemon GO is a new mobile app game that will be available for Android and iOS. Powered by GPS (Global Positioning System), the game allows individuals to find virtual Pokemon. For example, based on a player’s location, the app will be able to track the digital monsters and allow individuals to virtually capture them like in the real game. Depending on where the player is, different Pokemon will be made available to them. For example, they could find a Gyarados by a beach in Hawaii, Squirtle hiding along the waterfront in San Francisco, a Bulbasaur at Shinjuku Station or a Pikachu by the Eiffel Tower. Pokemon GO strives to make the thrill of coming across Pokemon in the tall grass a reality. The app will also be able to track other players nearby, bringing a real-life battle experience into play. This will allow for fans of the game to meet with each other, sparking friendships on their virtual journeys.

The mobile game was produced in collaboration with Nintendo and Niantic, the former Google subsidiary behind the Ingress augmented reality game. Pokemon GO will be released in 2016, 20 years after the original Pokemon game series. The game will be free to play, although it will include in-app purchases.

Producers of the game are also developing a wearable, wristband-like device entitled Pokemon GO Plus, which allows players to play the game when they do not have their iOS or Android device on hand. The device uses LED (light-emitting diode) and vibrations to alert players for Pokemon activities nearby. Players can also catch Pokemon and perform simple gestures by pressing a button on the device. However, the device does require a Bluetooth connection in order to be functional.

Pokemon GO is the app every avid Pokemon fan itching to “catch ‘em all” needs in order to pursue their dreams of becoming a real-life Pokemon master. Through battling with friends, unlocking mysteries and travelling through a new virtual world, the journey continues.