'Pokemon Go' fans play in India despite no official launch
by Rishabh R. Jain And Manish Mehta
"Pokemon Go" has yet to officially arrive in India, but that's not stopping people there from playing the highly addictive online game.
Many fans of the augmented-reality-based game have managed to download the app even though it has not been launched in India yet. Some are also using virtual private networks (VPNs) to change their locations and catch pokemons in New York and London while sitting in their Indian homes.
Organized "pokewalks" are becoming common in cities such as Mumbai and New Delhi, where hundreds are gathering to catch pokemon characters.
"You really feel like you're walking around in tall grass, catching all your favorite pokemons," 14-year-old Nikhil Kapil said in Mumbai.
The highly popular gaming app has become a global phenomenon after it was launched in most countries across North America and Europe. It was recently launched in Japan and Hong Kong, the only two Asian countries where it is officially available to download.
Gamers in India have used accounts linked to U.S.- or Britain-based app stores to download the game. No launch date has been announced for India.
Siddhant Tyagi, a 21-year-old design student who has caught all four starter pokemons—Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Charmander and Pikachu—said he and his friends have been spending an average of four hours a day playing "Pokemon Go," often walking around New Delhi landmarks and city parks, where most "pokestops" are located.
He also uses a VPN to catch pokemons around the world, while sitting in his New Delhi home.
"I don't have to wait the whole morning, as the people of New York would have to, to go to Central Park," Tyagi said. "I can easily sit here and battle till whatever time I want."
Let us know if there is a problem with our content
Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page.
For general inquiries, please use our contact form.
For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines).
Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors
Your feedback is important to us. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages.
Donate and enjoy an ad-free experience
We keep our content available to everyone.
Consider supporting Science X's mission by getting a premium account.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process
and policies.
Editors
have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Phys.org™ is a leading web-based science, research and technology news service which covers a full range of topics.
Phys.org is a part of Science X network.
With a global reach of over 10 million monthly readers and featuring dedicated websites for science (Phys.org),
technology (Tech Xplore) and medical research (Medical Xpress),
the Science X network is one of the largest online communities for science-minded people.