If you were looking forward to making your real-world Pokémon journey that much more authentic, we have bad news – the release of Nintendo’s Pokémon Go Plus accessory has been knocked back by several months.
The Bluetooth device connects to smartphones and notifies players of developments in the game without them having to keep the app permanently open on their screens. With LEDs and a rumble feature built in, the Go Plus will alert you when Pokémon appear in your vicinity, for instance, or when you pass a Pokéstop.
However, in an update to its product page, Nintendo confirms that the gadget won’t make its planned July release window.
“We regret to announce that the Pokémon Go Plus accessory will now be released in September instead of the originally expected end of July launch date,” Nintendo said. “We ask Pokémon Go players who have been eagerly awaiting the accessory’s arrival for their patience and apologise for any inconvenience caused. Please stay tuned, Trainers!”
No explanation has been given for the delay, though it could have something to do with device compatibility. Nintendo certifies the Go Plus for iPhone 5/5c/5s/SE/6/6s/6 Plus/6s Plus, running iOS 8 or 9, but says “as of July 2016, the Pokémon Go Plus compatibility with phones using the Android operating system is under development.” Alternatively, given the dramatic success of the Niantic-developed game, it could be a simple matter of being unable to meet pre-order demand.
Nintendo is selling the device for £34.99 from its online store. The company has also contacted customers who have pre-ordered, offering a £5 discount on their next £30 order to apologise for the delay.
Whenever it does eventually arrive though, the Pokémon Go Plus has the potential to improve the overall experience of the game. It will let you capture Pokémon you’ve previously caught with a tap of the wearable’s button, although you’ll need to open the game on your phone for newly encountered Pokémon, or to retrieve items from PokéStops.
It’s unknown if the Go Plus will have a built in pedometer – although Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver came with a PokéWalker device, so there’s precedence. If it does, it would go a long way to improving egg hatching. Pokémon eggs currently require the player to walk 2km, 5km, or 10km with the screen active, to hatch. If the Go Plus can track player movement out-of-app, that would make the game much less of a battery hog.
