10 years of Pokémon Go and the millions still trying to catch 'em all

Image source, AP Images for Scopely ExploreByLaura CressTechnology reporterPublished3 hours agoPokémon fans have spent the past three decades trying to catch 'em all - and since the beginning this hunt has often taken place outside the home.

The popular series started out on Nintendo's portable Game Boy console in 1996, and has found modern success on people's phones.

The mobile app Pokémon Go, which is now celebrating its 10th anniversary, uses GPS and augmented reality to let players find and catch virtual monsters in real-world locations.

It has been downloaded more than a billion times across iOS and Android devices, with millions still logging on each day.

And Michael Steranka, vice president of product at the game's publisher Scopely, says the Pokémon Go experience has always been about bringing people together.

"Pokémon Go will always start with community - we think we're only scratching the surface here," he said.

"We often receive wedding invites from players who met through Pokémon Go... because it's been such an integral part of their relationship."

But Pokémon Go's connection with its players appears to have prevailed, as hundreds of gamers gathered in New York's Times Square on Thursday to battle a giant Mewtwo - a reference to the game's original trailer published over a decade ago, external.

When it was released in 2016, Pokémon Go quickly became one of the biggest mobile game launches in history.

The technology overlays digital creatures onto a live view of the real world through a smartphone's camera, making it appear as though they're standing in front of the player.

It sparked a craze where people flocked to places like parks, waterfronts and shopping malls in the hope of catching Pokémon.

"By allowing you to take your mobile phone out into the world to discover virtual creatures, Pokémon Go helped realise the millennial dream of becoming a Pokémon Trainer," said Matthew Reynolds, editor of Pokémon news website One More Catch, external.