Pokefever is sweeping the mobile gaming industry, but will Taiwan be left out in the cold?
Pokemon Go, the augmented reality game for smartphones featuring cutesy digital monsters like Pikachu and Squirtle, has players using the camera function to find virtual creatures in real world locations.The game has topped download charts in the US, Australia, and New Zealand since its release last week.
Shares of Nintendo, which has a 33% stake in the Pokemon company, surged in value on Monday, adding more than $7 billion US dollars to the company’s market value.
There’s already been a plethora of press for the free mobile app with in-game purchases.
Stories range from game players stumbling upon dead bodies, and getting robbed at gunpoint, to those struggling with depression being motivated to leave the house and interact with the world.But trending topics outlet DailyView reports that trainers-in-waiting here may never have the chance to “catch’em all”, as the game may not be available in Taiwan.
According to the DailyView, a netizen left a message on what appears to be the official PokemonGo Facebook page, asking when the app would become available in China.
The page’s administrators responded with, “PokemonGo is available to play in all countries except China (People’s Republic of China, Mainland China), Korea (Republic of Korea, South Korea), Taiwan (Republic of China, Taiwan), Cuba, Myanmar, and Sudan.”
Whether this statement is true remains to be seen.
photo source: Pokemon Go Facebook, Niantic Facebook