Smash-hit smartphone game “Pokémon Go” has finally officially arrived in South Asia – but people in the region have been playing the game for months using a hack.
Gamers in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will now be able to download the game from app stores, California-based Niantic Inc., the game’s developer and distributor said Tuesday.
The augmented reality game stayed at the top of Apple Inc.’s U.S. app store for 74 days after it was launched in July. It was initially only available for users in the U.S. and the U.K. Indians, however, like other users around the world, found other ways to play the game before its official launch, like tweaking their security settings and forcing their phone to install a version of the app with the help of a download link.
Players visit landmarks called PokéStops, where they collect goodies including Poké Balls and virtual eggs, which hatch into Pokémon or pocket monsters.
In September, petitioners in India filed a complaint requesting a ban on “Pokémon Go” in the country after they said virtual eggs appeared in places of worship.
“Pokémon Go” has been downloaded by more than 600 million people world-wide as of last month.
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