By now, it should come as no surprise that Pokémon GO has taken much of the world by storm. Since its release, it has become the most popular game on the app stores and has caused Nintendo's business to double in value, in the process making it even more valuable than Sony.
Now, here's the kicker: the game isn't even out in Japan yet. Can you imagine what will happen when it goes live in the country that is known as both the birthplace of the Pokémon phenomenon as well as a hotbed for mobile gaming?
Well, as it turns out, we'll be able to see what plays out sooner than expected, as Pokémon GO is reportedly scheduled to launch in Japan on July 20.
It's been a long time coming for Japan, which was notably left out of the Pokémon GO craze in a list of countries that already have the game, including the U.S., Canada, Australia and many parts of Europe. Naturally, since it was the birthplace of Pokémon, the app's absence was a major source of frustration for addled fans who, until Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, were accustomed to getting their hands on the latest Pokémon games well before anyone else.
Addressing concerns about the delay, Niantic CEO John Hanke stated last week that the reason for the longer wait was all about server capacity. Simply put, he argued that the servers in Japan weren't strong enough to handle the demand that the launch in the country was sure to generate. As such, the companies behind the app, Nintendo and the Pokémon Company, would hold off on releasing the app until they felt their servers were up to par.
So, what was the time frame for when things would be up and running? Hanke predicted a release of late July, while analysts and experts predicted one for mid-September.
Fast-forward to today, and now, it looks like the game will be coming out tomorrow in Japan, marking the first launch of Pokémon GO in Asia, which has been ignored as Niantic focuses on bringing the game to other regions first.
Interestingly, coming to Japan won't be the first bit of history that Pokémon GO makes on Wednesday. The game's launch there will also be noteworthy since it will be the first time the company has teamed up with an official partner to produce sponsored locations.
Hanke previously indicated that Niantic would further boost the significant revenue the game is making from in-app purchases by allowing certain partners to become a sponsored location, where players will be able to battle their Pokémon against one another.
The first of these partners will be McDonald's, which will see its 3,000-plus locations become gyms for aspiring Pokémon masters. The implications for this are huge, too: based on the success of this partnership, other locations in the world will also see similar partnerships. If everything pans out, it will prove to be a lucrative venture for both the game creators and any businesses that are looking to boost foot traffic.
With all this said, Niantic has yet to officially confirm the launch, though it typically only announces the introduction of an app to a new region after the fact.
