Yelp is joining in on the Pokémon GO hype as they add a new filter for their restaurant listings that would allow users to know which of them has a PokéStop nearby.
Pokémon GO is slowly becoming the world's most popular app and it hasn't even reached all users across the globe yet. The AR game from Ingress developer Niantic Labs is currently available for users in the United States, New Zealand, Australia, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Users in Japan and other parts of Asia are still waiting on the international release date for Pokémon GO. Niantic and Nintendo has not yet unveiled when they will be releasing the app on the countries' Google Play Store and Apple App stores.
For those in areas that already have Pokémon GO, they can now use Yelp to see which restaurants has a PokéStop nearby so that they will be able to buy items or to get free items and Pokémon eggs. Users who review restaurants on Yelp are being asked if there is a PokéStop nearby instead of the app accessing the database of Niantic to map out the lists, Engadget has learned.
PokéStops allow users to get free items such as Pokéballs and potions. They are often placed in points of interests which may include landmarks or restaurants.
While a PokéStop might not be located exactly on a restaurant, it could be situated in a fountain near some food establishments. Users can choose to eat there so that they would also have free items and such.
Yelp product manager Will Cole said that there are already thousands of restaurants marked with PokeStops nearby for and by Pokémon GO players, VentureBeat reported. He is asking the public to help each other become "Pokémon masters in no time."
Pokémon GO can help boost the AR gaming industry just like Ingress did. In fact, the points of interest from the latter game have been used as the basis for the new PokeStops in the new game.
Users outside of the available regions will still have to wait for the Pokémon GO international rollout. Third-party Pokémon GO APKs are not recommended as they can contain malware.