Pokémon Go’ Release Date and Rumors: $ 30 Million Comes Niantic’s Way. Could

The app’s developer, Niantic, announced it acquired $20 million during the Series A funding round from a few heavy hitters including Google, Nintendo, and the parent Pokémon Company.

The funding will see the augmented reality studio net $20 million upfront and an extra $10 million if it manages to reach certain milestones. Instead, this money will also be applied, at least somewhat, to Niantic Labs’ existing game, Ingress.

Meanwhile, on the other hand Google’s development executive Don Harrison stated that Niantic’s idea of combining geo-location technology, dynamic storytelling and innovative game design for Pokemon GO actually left them amazed and that the tech giant will openheartedly help the company throughout their journey.

This also isn’t the first time Google and Nintendo have partnered on a project.

Ingriss, Niantic’s previous game, is a sci-fi title pitting two factions against one another for the control of real world physical locations. Downloads have topped 13 million in 200 countries and regions.

This is the next logical step of evolution for Pokemon, as Pokemon Go will be available on millions more mobile devices than Nintendo could hope to sell handhelds in the next few years. Until recently, Nintendo has focused on developing games and software for its own platforms, the Wii U and 3DS.

Pokemon Go is expected to launch on iOS and Android’s Google Play store at a few point in 2016. The new title is a mobile game that will encourage fans to search far and wide in the real world to discover Pokemon.