Pokémon Go Release Date: Possible Delays Reason GDC 2016 Presentation Was Cancelled

Niantic was planning a presentation at this year’s GDC, showing off Pokémon Go and how it would actually work to those in attendance. The presentation was supposed to be held on March 14 but, unfortunately, it has been cancelled.

The reason for the cancellation was a mystery, until Niantic CEO John Hanke issued the following statement to Game Informer.

"We have decided to forego our GDC talk on Pokémon GO in order to focus on getting the product ready for beta test and launch," Hanke said. "As much as we hate to disappoint those in the industry attending GDC, we feel our time and energy right now are best spent on making sure every aspect of the product is where we want it to be."

UPDATE: The official Niantic blog has an update on the first tests of Pokemon GO that will be happening soon.

The Pokémon Company and Niantic will be inviting users to field test Pokémon GO in Japan later this month. The Pokémon GO field test program will give users the opportunity to share early feedback and help improve the Pokémon GO experience. Please stay tuned for information about expansion of the field test to other markets.

Hanke was set to head the Pokémon Go presentation, and as the official GDC website described it:

Over the last three years, Niantic, Inc. has been defining the genre of Real World gaming, using smartphones and tablets to connect the digital world to the physical world. Niantic's newest game, Pokemon GO, ups the challenge of real world gaming design, taking a beloved franchise and setting its hundreds of brightly-colored monsters loose across the globe, adding a new Bluetooth wearable device created by Nintendo to the mix. Join Niantic founder and CEO John Hanke as he discusses how the company has developed a unique vision for delivering a mobile Pokémon experience that gets would-be trainers into the outdoors.

Pokémon Go was announced in September 2015 for a 2016 release, but as another quarter arrives and a solid release date yet to be confirmed, it would seem the Niantic team are feeling the crunch.

The endeavor is large in scope, with the mobile app promising to open the world of Pokémon to everyone through the inclusion of local events and even Pokémon Gyms.

So what do you think of the cancelled Pokémon Go GDC presentation? Will the release of the mobile app be delayed? Let us know in the comments section.