Finally! Pokemon Go launches in JapanTop Stories

July 22, 2016 16:41
Finally! Pokemon Go launches in Japan

The hit Nintendo-backed smartphone game, Pokemon GO has finally launched in Japan, the birthplace of the colorful little virtual monsters, Niantic Labs, the software company behind the game announced.

The game has become a global phenomenon since it launched two weeks back. It was first released in the United States, New Zealand and Australia on July 6 and now available in more than 30 nations.

The Japanese launch comes with a McDonalds sponsorship deal. Fast food restaurants were expected to be advertised as places where people were guaranteed to find Pokemon, or as "gyms" where players can train up their captured monsters for virtual fights.
But a McDonald's spokesman said restaurants would "call on players not to become a bother to customers who are eating".

The Reuters reported, "Everyone was talking about why we couldn't do it here, since Pokemon is Japanese," said Maho Ishikawa, a 16-year-old high school student who said she had already captured a monster.

"Since I really wanted to play, I'm very, very glad."

Junichi Masuda, head of development at Game Freak and co-creator of the game, apologized for keeping players waiting so long in a video address and said that, "From today you can go out and find Pokemon to your heart's content." "We hope the game enables users to see the world in a new, fulfilling way. Obey the rules and have fun," he said.

"This game is just as I imagined it to be, it's really fun," said Toshinori Ishibashi, 18, who was seen playing the game near a Pokemon goods store in Tokyo Station.

"It's also a great reason to go outside, so I'm really enjoying it."

The BBC News reported, "The moment I found out the servers were up I jumped right out of bed, got dressed and ran outside with my iPhone and two extra battery packs," Samuel Lucas, an Australian YouTuber based in Japan said.

"So far I've been to the Japan post office which was my first poke stop, and now I'm on my way to a big park near my house."

The warnings, by the National Centre of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity, included asking users to register with "cool names that are different from real names" and cautioning them against heatstroke as they walk around in the sun.

"I want people to abide by the warning so that people can play it on smartphones safely," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

Also Read: Pokemon Go helping kids at Phoenix Children's Hospital!

Nandini

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