Pokemon Go/Starbucks Partnership Confirmed, Here's What It Means

As rumored, Pokemon Go developer Niantic and coffee giant Starbucks are teaming up.

As part of the partnership, more than 7,800 Starbucks locations in the US will become PokeStops or Gyms today, December 8. Additionally, Starbucks has created a new Pokemon Go Frappucino drink, for the game and real life, apparently. Here's what it looks like in the game:

"The Pokemon Go Frappuccino blended beverage starts with a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino and blends in raspberry syrup with freeze dried whole blackberries, topped with whipped cream," reads a line from today's press release announcing the partnership.

In a statement, Niantic CEO John Hanke explained why his company is partnering with Starbucks.

"The physical locations component of the collaboration is important to us as we look for ways to use technology to encourage exploration, exercise and real world social interaction, and Starbucks’ footprint throughout the U.S. provides an awesome platform," he said.

Starbucks is not the first retail partner for Pokemon Go, as the first was telecom giant Sprint, which is also transforming its physical stores into PokeStops and Gyms. In Japan, Niantic is partnering with fast food giant McDonald's. Niantic confirmed it would work with retailers for sponsored PokeStops and Gyms earlier this year. We'd expect there will be more in the future.

In other Pokemon Go news, Niantic has confirmed that more critters are coming to the game. The company will share more details this coming Monday, December 12.