The launch of the free-to-play location-based augmented reality game — Pokémon GO — has been delayed in Japan.
Pokémon GO was developed by Niantic Labs and has already been released for iOS and Android in many countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia and more. However, gaming enthusiasts in the Pokémon's home country are still waiting for the game.
John Hanke, the CEO of Niantic, had confirmed that the delay is because of server issues in the country.
"At present, the server capacity in Japan is not powerful enough. We are working hard with our partners in Japan to enable the servers to keep up with demand once the game goes online there. We expect it to be released by the end of July," said Hanke.
TechCrunch reported that Niantic will release Pokémon GO in Japan on July 20 citing sources familiar with the matter. However, new reports suggest that a leaked internal email has prompted the game developer to postpone the release of Pokémon GO even further.
Niantic has not confirmed a release date for Pokémon GO in the said country, but reports suggest that the app may be available as early as Thursday, July 21.
The delay of the latest Pokémon app will disappoint many fans who have been waiting for months. The Pokémon Company, Niantic and Nintendo are hoping to launch the game in Japan as soon as servers in the country can handle the huge demand from gamers. The game developer wants to ensure that japanese fans will have a seamless and uninterrupted experience once Pokémon GO is made available to them.
Pokémon GO has received a lot of popularity and has surpassed more than 30 million downloads since it was released in other regions about two weeks ago. Pokémon GO user engagement on social media such as Facebook and Twitter is also very high, which highlights the growing attractiveness of the game. It is highly likely that the game will achieve more milestones, especially when launched in its home country.
The success of Pokémon GO is not just limited to the game developer or the Pokémon franchise. International fast food chain McDonald's has become the first paying sponsor for Pokémon GO and turned 3,000 of its stores in Japan into "gyms" where players can battle.
McDonalds Japan has also started selling Pokémon-themed Happy Meals and has seen sales soar significantly.
It remains to be seen how swiftly Niantic Labs can launch Pokémon GO in Japan.
