Most of us are aware of the sensation that is Pokémon Go, but you may not realize just how far-reaching this game actually is.
It ’s official : Pokémon Go has take over the reality . The game utilizes the GPS capabilities of smartphones , allowing thespian to “ pick up ” Pokémon in real location — be it war - torn Syria or walker - take Times Square .
have it off it or loathe it , it seems like the game has caught us , not the other way around :
Next , have a look at five of the worstcaused within just the first week of the game ’s release . Then , ready why Saudi-Arabian churchman release afatwa banning the game .
War-torn Syria would seem an unlikely place to play Pokémon Go; yet even among the ruins in the town of Douma, gamers find a way to enjoy the trend.
In the capital city of Riyadh, a Saudi man in traditional attire plays Pokémon Go in a grand hallway.
A man captures Pokémon in the main fish market of Kuwait City.
Raditya, an Indonesian Muslim woman, sits with a friend while playing Pokémon Go on her smartphone – even though the game hadn’t been officially released in Indonesia yet.
On the streets of Indonesia, young people sit on their motorcycles while playing Pokémon Go on July 23. Downloading the unreleased game is made possible by the use of proxy locations which allow access to app stores of other countries.
This KFC in Indonesia is among the many opportunistic businesses taking advantage of the highly successful game. Businesses run promotions to attract Pokémon Go gamers to their locations — some using beneficial items from within the game itself to lure the players in.
Japan, the birthplace of Pokémon, was surprisingly not one of the first countries to gain access to the new game. The country’s July 22 Pokémon Go release was accompanied by the 3,000 McDonald’s restaurants in the country becoming Pokémon Gyms.
A man in Tokyo, Japan plays Pokémon Go.
A gamer displays the Pokémon Go app in front of the skyline in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.
A huge crowd gathers to play Pokémon Go at a park in Tin Shui Wai, Hong Kong. The global phenomenon launched in Hong Kong on July 25th — and was an instant hit.
A man in Hong Kong plays the game. The Chinese army — which has a strong presence in the Central district of Hong Kong — has warned people out searching for Pokémon to not stray onto their premises.
Times Square in New York City has become a Pokémon Go hotspot.
In New York City and around the world, Pokémon Go has been credited for getting people out and active, gaining high praise from many in the health industry.
The game is also lauded for bringing people together who otherwise would not have met.
A gamer totes their Pikachu plush while playing Pokémon Go in Rome, Italy.
Pokémon Go may never come to South Korea, as the government forbids Google from accessing their maps. However, South Korean gamers have been flocking to the northeastern portion of the country to take advantage of loophole areas that allow them to access the game.
Several South Koreans play in the loophole area of Sokcho, where players have discovered a mapping glitch that allows them to access the game.
Finchley Catholic school students from the United Kingdom play Pokémon Go in Trafalgar Square on the day of the British release, July 15.
You just never know where a prized Pokémon is going to show up — like this Raticate who appeared directly on a constable outside the gates of Downing Street, London.
The Sydney Opera House makes a stunning background for the large crowds showing up to hunt Pokémon.
It turns out that just about anywhere can become a PokéStop, gym, or location to capture a prized Pokémon. A PokéStop allows players to gather in-game items that they may have run out of. This capture is happening outside the Flinders Street Station in Melbourne, Australia.
Nigerian software developer Timi Ajiboye hunts Pokémon on campus at the University of Lagos. Though the app is free, in-game purchases have created a steady income stream, grossing approximately $35 million in its first two weeks of release. This makes it the highest grossing app in both Android and iPhone marketplaces.
U.S. iPhone users alone spend an average of $1.6 million each day on Pokémon Go purchases.
Barcelona’s backdrop of ancient architecture mixed with modern design is another hotspot for the Pokémon Go crowd. As of July 19, the Pokémon Go app had already been downloaded 30 million times, worldwide.
A gamer and his tablet pictured in Barcelona Park. If you notice more people than usual aimlessly walking while staring into their phones and tablets, the Pokémon Go app is probably the culprit.
A group of Pokémon hunters gather at Mount Eden in Auckland, New Zealand. New Zealand and Australia were among the first countries to have the Pokémon Go app go live.
Three young women in Beirut, Lebanon show their smartphones displaying Pokémon Go. The sensation truly is worldwide, and only continuing to spread.
