Niantic Inc’s Pokemon Go mobile game is now official in South Korea. The location-based reality game was released in the country on Tuesday.
“We’re excited to announce that Pokemon Go is now officially available for download in South Korea. Get up and GO!” Niantic wrote in a Twitter post.
The delay for the launch is attributed to the challenges pertaining Google Maps. “Pokemon Go relies on Google Maps to work. But in most of South Korea those functions have been limited by the government,” a Reuters report clarified.
Players can head to the App Store or Google Play to download and explore the game.
“With its robust technology infrastructure, South Korea has one of the strongest gaming communities in the world, with a large population of dedicated Pokemon fans,” the Pokemon Team wrote on its Facebook page. “We are especially excited that they will now be able to explore their world with Pokemon Go.”
South Koreans should be delighted that the game did see a launch, though it met with many roadblocks. Consider China which has banned the game over public safety concerns.
The Chinese government is evaluating the game’s risks prompted by a “high level of responsibility to national security and the safety of people’s lives and property,” an industry body said. Niantic relies on game data from Google Maps and sadly the comprehensive map service is yet to be made public in China.
Pokemon Go released in early July last year. Within just a few months, the viral augmented reality game was downloaded more than 500 million times. It brought the makers an estimated $950 million in revenues in 2016.
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