Tokyo: Pokemon's last major smartphone hit, "Pokemon Go", had fans on the move hunting the lovable characters, but its next release will focus on a more relaxing activity: sleep.

The Pokemon Company has revealed it will release "Pokemon Sleep" across most of the world in summer 2023, four years after it first announced plans for the game.

"Your adventure takes place on a small island where you'll carry out research on how Pokemon sleep. You'll work with a large Snorlax who lives on the island and Neroli, a professor who's studying Pokemon sleep styles."

The free game uses satellite locations, graphics and camera capabilities to overlay cartoon characters on real-world settings, challenging players to capture and train the creatures.

But players were blamed for traffic accidents and other violations as they roamed the streets, buried in their phones.

Pokemon has been a global hit since it was launched as a role-playing game in 1996 for Nintendo's Game Boy console.

The franchise, whose slogan is "Gotta Catch 'Em All", also includes movies and a hugely popular animated TV show.