It looks like the highly anticipated mobile game "Pokémon GO" may not be ready to go just yet. The game's demonstration at the GDC 2016 with Niantic's CEO John Hanke has now been cancelled.
The session was initially scheduled to be held at the conference on March 14 and promised that those who attend the event will receive a "first-hand, in-depth look at how players are interacting and exploring the world with one another through 'Pokémon GO,' the collaborative approach to design and development for the game and the next evolution of augmented reality and real-world mobile gameplay experiences."
However, the official schedule for the conference has been updated to show that the session has been cancelled. The notice doesn't provide an explanation as to why the session was cancelled, nor does it provide any insight into whether it will be rescheduled to a different time.
So, what's up with "Pokémon GO" so far? Well, a trademark was filled for the AR catch-them-all game on Tuesday, meaning that things appear to be moving forward, but maybe it was a too soon for a live demonstration.
Despite the trademark filing, the cancellation is still a setback for Niantic's upcoming game, and some have taken the news to mean that the game may be been scrapped entirely. This only represents a small portion of the community, however, and most only believe that this is an indicator that the game is simply a little behind schedule.
The possibility of "Pokémon GO" being delayed and not appearing during the GDC is quite a big deal for fans and tech enthusiasts alike. Not only has there been a lot of buzz and excitement around the game simply because of it being a "Pokémon" game, but it's also one of the top mobile games that can be considered one step ahead of our current technology. What this game does and how well it does it can influence a multitude of other titles down the line.
"Pokémon Go" is scheduled to drop later this year for both iOS and Android, representing a collaboration between Nintendo and Niantic. For its part, Niantic describes the undertaking as upping the challenge of real world game design by "taking a beloved franchise and setting its hundreds of brightly-colored monsters loose across the globe, adding a new Bluetooth wearable device created by Nintendo to the mix."
The device in question is the Pokémon GO Plus and together they allow players to take their Pokemon catching experience to the real world - a feat that is nothing short of revolutionary.
With this all in mind, one question still remains: Is the wait worth it? For most, the answer is still yes.
For those itching for news, you may be out of of luck for the forseeable future. Nintendo has already announced that its upcoming Nintendo Direct broadcast won't cover any mobile games.
