Related News
Pokemon Go craze finally hits Japan
Online Edition
Pikachu was welcomed home by thousands of enthusiastic Japanese gamers Friday as the global phenomenon that is Pokemon Go finally launched in its native market.
The smartphone app has now been launched in more than 40 countries, including the US and much of Europe, but Japan -- where Nintendo started the mythical creature franchise 20 years ago -- was kept waiting.
The suspense lasted for days, as international media reports about a timeline for the Japan rollout kept changing, and Nintendo, the Pokemon Company, and the game's US-based developer Niantic all declined to comment.
But that finally ended Friday as the game was made available online in Japan.
"We are truly happy that we have been able to bring this to Japan, where Pokemon was born," Niantic announced on its blog.
It attributed the delay in Japan to responses "beyond our expectations" after the game's July 6 release.
User reaction was ecstatic.
"PokemonGO releeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaased," tweeted @skri0709 minutes after it hit Google Play.
Another user said: "Pokemon Go came, I cannot bother with work."
Since its global launch two weeks ago, Pokemon Go has sparked a worldwide frenzy among users who have taken to the streets with their smartphones.
The free app uses satellite locations, graphics and camera capabilities to overlay cartoon monsters on real-world settings, challenging players to capture and train the creatures for battles.
The game has given a shot in the arm to Nintendo's nascent move into mobile gaming -- after it abandoned a longstanding consoles only policy.
The videogame giant's stock has more than doubled in the last couple of weeks with its market value soaring earlier this week to 4.5 trillion yen ($42.5 billion), making it just more valuable than Japan Inc standard bearer Sony.
Amid widespread anticipation before the official release, the government issued a rare safety guide warning over dangers gamers could face, from heat stroke to online scams.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
