Highly anticipated augmented reality mobile game Pokémon Go has started to roll out for the iOS and Android, but not all regions already have access to the game.
Gamers in certain countries who are looking to download the game have been asked to wait for Pokémon Go to be officially released in these areas.
The game first appeared in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in Australia and New Zealand. It has also recently been added to these app stores in the United States, though there is no definite schedule on when it will arrive in other territories.
Fortunately, for the impatient Pokémon fans on Android devices who feel that they have already been waiting too long for Pokémon Go, there is a way to get the game into your smartphones.
Currently, when users download Pokémon Go from the Google Play Store, it will not push through with the installation once the app detects that the region of the user is not in a location where the game has been officially rolled out. However, due to the open source nature of the Android operating system, it is possible for users to download and install apps from any source.
A word of warning though: while this method has been used by many users to get Pokémon Go into their Android devices, there is still risk involved in the process as the app that users will download could be a malicious one. It is best to proceed with caution, and to know exactly what needs to be done in this process.
First, users will have to allow the installation of apps from unknown sources on their Android device. This can be done by going to the Security menu under the smartphone's Settings, and then turning on the option that allows apps from sources other than Google Play Store to be installed.
Afterwards, users will have to download Pokémon Go. One of the more reliable sources of the app files is the APK mirror. If downloaded on a computer, the file should then be transferred into the Android device through any means, such as using a USB cable or saving it to Google Drive.
Users can then simply open the APK once it is in their Android smartphone, which will launch the installation process. Gamers should also make sure that the GPS function of their device is activated, as it will be used by Pokémon Go.
Be warned that, since this is the first version of Pokémon Go along with the fact that users would be playing the game in a region where it should not be available yet, there is bound to be some issues.
One such issue that has been previously reported is that the game drains the smartphone's battery really quickly, probably due to Pokémon Go's usage of a lot of components of the smartphone. As such, playing the game for long periods of time might also require users to invest in a power bank to keep their devices juiced up, at least until Niantic Labs finds a workaround to the power drain problem.
Other issues currently being experienced by users, include GPS abnormalities and audio distortions. However, for long-time Pokémon fans, the important thing is the chance to integrate the Pokémon universe into real life.
