"Pokémon GO" beta has begun in the U.S. New gameplay details have been revealed along with it.
Tech Crunch reported that the "Pokémon GO" beta has been launched in the U.S. on Wednesday, May 25. Those who signed up for the field test earlier this month are starting to receive invites to the game.
The "Pokémon GO" beta in the U.S. comes after field tests in Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The publication noted, though, that the U.S. beta may be an indication that the highly-anticipated augmented reality game may be nearing its public debut.
"Across Japan, Australia and New Zealand, 'Pokémon GO' field testers have been collecting and battling with impressive regularity and we're learning a lot from them," Niantic wrote in a blog post. "And today, we're expanding that field test to the United States to get more feedback to improve the game."
The post also included new "Pokémon GO" gameplay details. Niantic confirmed that new features have been added to expand gameplay even further.
Apparently, trainers are now given the ability to help Pokémon evolve. They can also find and collect Pokémon Eggs as well as fully grown Pokémon.
The "Pokémon GO" gameplay also encourages exercise as trainers need to walk a given distance so that they can hatch Pokémon Eggs. The game will have incubators to help with the process.
Moreover, Pokémon Gyms are set in real-world locations. These are locations where players can test their Pokémon in battles. They can also compete to win control of the Gym.
There are four types of Gyms: Empty Gyms, Friendly Gyms, Higher-Level Gyms and Rival Gyms. Players can form groups and work together to challenge rival Gyms.
According to IGN, players can interact with their Pokémon using an in-game avatar. This can be customized with several options.
The "Pokémon GO" Plus is a device that notifies players about the game without needing to look at their phones. The game can be downloaded for free through the App Store and Google Play. The "Pokémon GO" release date has not been officially announced yet.
