An alleged email from Pokémon Go had fooled some fans. Apparently, a Reddit user published the said message that claimed Pokémon Go will no longer be coming to Apple Watch. However, it did not take long before the game’s developer Niantic Labs shut down the reports of cancellation.
Back in September, Apple mentioned that there will be a Pokémon Go for the Apple Watch. In addition, Niantic said that the popular mobile game will become available on Apple Watch before the end of this year. So, it was surprising when rumors started to spread on Saturday that it will not push through. The said email informed the Reddit user that Niantic “decided to stop the development of the port”.
The reason provided for seems to be the lack of demand. The email also mentioned that the port presented during the Apple Keynote was actually unfinished. Within the same day, Pokémon Go’s official Twitter account tweeted, “Pokémon Go for Apple Watch is coming soon. Stay tuned.”
A representative for Niantic denied the claim and told Recode, “Pokémon Go is still under development and has not been canceled. We’ll have more news soon.” In a separate statement to TechCrunch, Niantic said that the alleged email was “not real” and the “development on Pokémon Go continues”. The game developer did not specify a date for when the Pokémon Go is expected to roll out on Apple Watch. Given that the year is almost about to end, fans will likely have to wait until next year.
There are not many details about the features of the Pokémon Go for Apple Watch. It is possible that the Apple wearable device is akin to the Pokémon Go Plus by Nintendo. The Bluetooth-enabled Pokémon Go Plus costs $35. It was launched back in September. The wireless capability allows the owner to connect it with his/her smartphone. It basically let the user know when a Pokémon is actually nearby without having to look at one’s smartphone. According to the Apple Insider, the Pokémon Go for Apple Watch will have a feature that will show how far a user needs to walk to hatch an egg. Furthermore, it can also be used to collect items from Poke Stops.
It is unclear why the release of the Pokemon Go for the Apple Watch is delayed. One factor might be the fact that excitement over the popular game is slowly dying down. Though it still is among the top ten grossing apps for iOS, according to App Annie. But it is evident how Niantic is trying to bring back user’s interest in the game. Just recently, Niantic has partnered with Starbucks for a number of Pokémon Go promotions that actually includes a Pokémon Go Frappuccino.
