Pokemon GO is available in 26 more European countries after it was launched in the U.K., Spain, Portugal and Germany. (Photo : Getty Images/Mike Lawrie)
Pokémon GO is now available in 30 countries in Europe, as well as in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. However there are still no updates as to when the new virtual reality game will be released in Asia.
According to the Pokémon GO Facebook page, the game is now available in Belgium, Austria, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Greece, Sweden, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, Romania, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovakia, and Slovenia. These 26 countries have joined the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, and Germany, which are the first countries in Europe that are able to download the game.
The game is still not available in Asian countries, including Pokémon's homeland, Japan. The Pokémon Company, which is responsible for licensing and marketing the Pokémon franchise, is a Japanese company. Nintendo Co. Ltd., which owns 32 percent of the Pokémon Company, is also headquartered in Japan.
Pokémon GO's developer, Niantic, Inc., explained that everything comes down to server capacity. Niantic Chief Executive Officer John Hanke told Forbes that server capacity in Japan is currently "not powerful enough."
Hanke, however, assured that they are working hard with their partners in Japan to enable the servers so these could keep up with demand when the game finally goes online there. He also said that they expect Pokémon GO to be released there by the end of July.
However, game watchers and individuals who are familiar with the complexities of Japan's network suggest that a mid-September release is more likely, Forbes contributor Peter Lyon wrote.
Hanke also explained that Pokémon GO's debut in Korea will be "particularly challenging" as Google's map information system there is limited due to security concerns over North Korea. As for China, he said that while it is technically possible, it will be difficult to get the game to users due to the many regulations that they have to clear first.
Hanke earlier stated that they expect Pokémon GO to expand to over 200 countries around the world within two months.
The new virtual reality game was first released in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand earlier this month and has since been topping the free-to-download app chart.
View the video on how you can get the game for your iOS device:
