After getting their hopes raised about an imminent Pokémon GO release in Japan, fans in the region found those same hopes dashed after Niantic postponed the game's launch there, following an email leak.
There is some good news in all this, though. Pokémon GO's launch is still marked as "imminent," and according to one local news source, the game might come out as soon as July 22.
So, here's how everything went down: on July 21, reports surfaced that Pokémon GO would finally arrive in Japan the following day. The news, naturally, was met with enthusiasm for an assortment of reasons. For Japanese fans, the launch of the game was long overdue; as the birthplace of the Pokémon phenomenon, it seemed almost inconceivable that the same place that enjoyed getting the latest Pokémon games up through Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 would have to wait longer than most other places before the game finally arrives.
Meanwhile, other fans were simply excited to see what would happen when Pokémon GO finally arrived in Japan. Knowing just how well the game has done for Nintendo's business, the thought of the game arriving in a place that, as stated before, is the birthplace of Pokémon, as well as a hotbed for mobile gaming, made inquiring minds wonder what the game's introduction into Japan will do for the company.
However, things didn't turn out as planned and Niantic pushed back the initial early morning launch before cancelling it entirely — but why?
According to a source, a major reason was that internal communication from McDonald's Japan, the game's sponsor, detailing the launch has made its way to internet forums and photo site Imgur. Out of fear that the generated hype would overload the servers (which has always been a concern), the companies behind the game decided to err on the side of caution and push back Pokémon GO's launch to an unspecified date.
Now, just like how the announcement meant different things for different people, the delay also means different things for the same audience. For onlookers, this delay means that they'll have to wait a bit longer to see the effects of the first "sponsored location" in the game. McDonald's agreed to become the game's first sponsor and turn its 3,000 plus locations in Japan into gyms, where aspiring Pokémon masters could duke it out.
This partnership will be something to keep an eye on, 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.
On the other hand, for local players, the delay simply means they'll have to wait even longer to get in on the Pokémon GO craze that has left them behind.
"Isn't Japan the home of Pokémon? I beg them to hurry up!," said Toshihide Onchi, a 40-year-old system engineer who took part in the trial of the game's beta version.
Fortunately, as mentioned before, the game's launch is still marked as "imminent" and newswire Nikkei is reporting that the game could arrive as soon as tomorrow. However, considering how things have panned out thus far, it would be wise for Japanese fans to curb their excitement, lest their expectations get crushed once more.
