'Pokemon Go' Japan Release: Japanese Fans Go Berserk About The Hit AR Game Following Its Official Debut In The Country!
ByLooks like a good news for "Pokemon Go" fans in Japan as the hit augmented reality game is finally up for grabs in the 'Land of the Rising Sun.'
Niantic's free-to-play "Pokemon Go" for iOS and Android hit the shelves in several markets except Japan in July this year. The team behind the game cited server capacity concerns for the delayed release in the country.
A scheduled July 20 release date for the game in Japan was scratched out in the wake of a leaked internal email that went viral. Niantic did not divulge a new release date for "Pokemon Go" following the cancellation; however it is now officially available in Japan.
Apologizing to everyone in Japan for the delay, the original Pokemon game developer and the head of development at Game Freak, Jyunichi Masuda confirmed "Pokemon Go" can now be played in Japan.
Contrary to most of video games that are played from the comfort of a player's house, "Pokemon Go" has taken things to a different level.
Niantic's CEO John Hanke says the studio wanted to come up with a game that require gamers to step outside the comfort of their homes and get some much-needed exercise, aside from discovering exciting new places and having fun, TechTimes reported.
Hanke also suggested players look around, keep their head up and enjoy the world around them and be safe.
Zealous Japanese players started tweeting early Friday morning to announce that they had finally been able to start playing.
The launch in Japans also marks collaboration with McDonald's Japan, citing a potential expansion of the hit game's revenue base aside from the sale of in-app purchases.
The companies involved in the said tie-up have remained mum regarding the financial details, however McDonald's confirmed that nearly 400 out of its 2,900 restaurants in Japan have been designated as "gyms," where "Pokemon Go" players can battle on their smartphones, Independent reported.
This is quite a smart move on part of McDonald's as "Pokemon Go" makes use of GPS and this can drive potential customers to the one if its restaurants that's been designated as "gyms."
Apparently, this might even curb the risk involved in playing "Pokemon Go" as several reports of car accidents and other mishaps have surfaced of people who were too busy playing the game. Realizing this, the government issued nine safety-related rules Wednesday for "Pokemon Go" fanatics to follow.