Coming Home: Pokémon Go officially launches in Japan

The game returns to its homeland, with the winds of two-weeks worth of excitement and build-up at its back

Pokemon FINAL (1)

Pikachu, Charmander, Bulbasaur and Squirtle are finally coming home.

After a two-day tease earlier this week that resulted in the postponement of the launch after an email leak, Pokémon Go has officially launched in Japan.

The news marks the first time Pokémon Go has officially been launched in Asia and should generate renewed excitement across the region that their country will soon be able to catch those adorable little creatures (although Indonesians have been able to enjoy the game for awhile).

Believe it or not, the game has only been around for two weeks but it captured the imagination of gamers, Pokémon enthusiasts and the general public across North America and Europe.

The game has grabbed such a hold on popular imagination that, ahead of today’s launch, the Japanese government released an official flier with advice and warnings about playing Pokémon Go. Advice includes considering the weather when exploring, being alert of potential scams and watching where they walk.

After launch of the game, Nintendo stocks have skyrocketed. After the first July 6 launch date, the stock price has nearly doubled from JPY14,380 (US$135) back then to JPY28,000 (US$264) as of publishing.

Also Read: This is how Pokémon Go might win the advertising game

Besides Japan, Pokémon Go is officially available in the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland

e27 has reached out to Pokémon Go spokespeople and will update with comments accordingly.

—

Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

The post Coming Home: Pokémon Go officially launches in Japan appeared first on e27.