Pokemon Go for Android Wear watches is 'pretty likely'
The CEO of Niantic Labs and the man behind Pokemon Go, John Hanke, said it's "pretty likely" that the ludicrously popular game will end up on Android Wear devices.
Android Wear users might not have to be so jealous about the Apple Watch getting Pokemon Go.
John Hanke, the CEO of Niantic Labs, appeared at TechCrunch Disrupt SF this week and answered questions about the insanely popular mobile game. When asked specifically if the game will make it onto Android Wear devices, he responded by saying: "Pretty likely."
A preview of Pokemon Go on the Apple Watch
This comes after Apple's announcement last week that Pokemon Go will land on the Apple Watch by the end of the year. With Apple Watch compatibility, players will be able to get notifications from the game on their watch, and even log playing the game as an activity. We don't know yet if Google's Android Wear software for smartwatches will get similar features when and if the game makes the jump to those devices.
Pokemon Go was downloaded more than 500 million times since it launched in July, becoming a cultural phenomenon that's inspired real-world activities like PokeWalks. It reportedly remains the most profitable mobile game.
Hanke said he thinks that the Apple Watch will be a great device to get gamers interacting with the real world, according to TechCrunch. "As other devices come on the market," he added, "If those are Android Wear devices or if they are devices from other quadrants that are interesting for gameplay and mobility, and being active -- we'll look into supporting those, too."
So while we don't have an official announcement of when to expect Pokemon Go on other devices, we know that Niantic has its mind on expansion.
Nintendo's Pokemon Go Plus wristband is expected to go on sale September 16, specifically to make it easier to play the game. While the Pokemon Go Plus is a less advanced wearable than an Apple Watch or Android Wear device (it doesn't have a screen), it retails for only $35, making it an affordable investment for fans of the game.
We can only hope that expanding Pokemon Go to wearables will help combat one of its biggest drawbacks: making people oblivious to the real world.
(Love Pokemon? Be sure to check out this video of Hanke's talk for a peek into what's to come. Spoiler alert: there are rumors about battling other trainers in the future.)