Pokemon Go has only been out for a couple of weeks, and already, there are dozens of stories about people being far too engulfed in the hunt for more monsters.
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The feverish excitement in Japan over the game has even forced the government to launch a campaign promoting safe use of the game, after multiple cases of users being injured were reported.
Eager Japanese rushed to their phones on Friday to start hunting as the Pokemon Go mobile game finally launched in Japan, bringing the record-setting global hit to the home of the Pokemon characters.
The wait is over for Pokemon Go fans in Japan.
In the game, players search for digital creatures that pop up on smartphone screens as they move through real-world locations.
The company declined to attach some numbers to the Pokemon Go craze, but it is evident that the app is tremendously popular all around the world.
The Tokyo Skytree tower, on the other hand, employed a more moderate stance and simply asked gamers to play with caution as its very big structure is a “gym” where players can fight with Pokemons, attracting more footfall.
Sixteen-year-old high school student Mamiko Amaha was immersed in Pokemon Go with a group of girlfriends in Tokyo’s historic Asakusa district in search of Pokemon characters, as crowds of tourists strolled around.
“I want to play this game extensively, but I also hear incidents related to it, so I’m a bit afraid”. The other 2,500 are “Pokestops”, where players can get “Poke Balls” and other items they need to play the game.
The windfall could help reverse Nintendo’s fortunes, although some analysts think its impact on the company’s revenues will be limited because the game is free apart from certain revenue-earning features.
As retailers and brands vie for a piece of a hit that takes players from place to place, fast food chain McDonald’s Holdings Co Japan Ltd said its almost 3,000 shops across Japan would serve as spots where Pokemon can be battled or “trained” in the game – within limits.
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The Japanese government has issued a safety warning. Niantic Chief Executive John Hanke has said it would be technically possible to launch there, but noted a host of complex rules and restrictions.
