Pokemon Go Plus finally arriving next week (Update: It's here!)

Pokemon Go has been one of the most fascinating mobile phenomenons to follow in recent years. After skyrocketing upon release, it quickly created a variety of subcultures, got some dead bodies discovered, got some people mugged, and one American town is thinking about banning it entirely. Now the wearable companion Pokemon Go Plus finally has an arrival date.

We first saw Pokemon Go Plus well before the game’s launch. Although at the time it wasn’t clear how useful the wearable would be, wonky gameplay and footstep tracking have made it clear that this companion device will be quite useful.

Essentially, the wearable lets you stay engaged with the Pokemon flipside of reality without having to pull out your phone. The device will vibrate and light up when Pokestops are nearby, and a simple click of the button collects the locations items for you. It will also alert you when a Pokemon is in range. Furthermore, the device will continue tracking your footsteps even when the app isn’t active, remedying a major headache for egg hatchers.

Pokemon Go Plus will be arriving in most countries on September 16, 2016. We don’t have word yet as to what constitutes “most” countries, so we’ll probably have to wait around to find out who is getting left out. Niantic did indicate that some South American countries will not be receiving the device next week, but they will receive it before the end of the year.

What do you think about Pokemon Go Plus? Will this companion wearable be enough to rejuvenate waning interest in the augmented reality game? Let us know your take in the comments below!