Pokemon Go continues to transfix the world, and as we head into 2016’s Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the city’s mayor has appealed directly to the app’s developer to launch the game in Brazil in time for the games.
Well, it appears Mayor Paes’s prayers have been answered, because we’re starting to get multiple, independent reports that the game is live across the country. “Break out the sneakers and Pokeballs, and get ready to explore the world around you,” Niantic announced earlier today via Pokemon Go‘s official Facebook page. “We are excited to officially be putting Pokemon Go in the hands of our Latin American fans, visitors, and the Olympic athletes in Rio!”
Accompanying the launch are the usual server issues, which much of the Northern Hemisphere has already come to expect — but hey, it’s there, the perfect distraction when you’re killing time between men’s archery qualifiers and women’s beach volleyball. Let’s just hope the app doesn’t lead anyone to any more dead bodies.
(Sorry, that was a really terrible joke. The Rio Olympics are fine, EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE.)
Anyway, the bigger question here is: what about the Olympic gymnast from Japan who’s already run up $5000 in roaming fees playing Pokemon Go on her phone before the app was officially released?
(h/t Go Nintendo, Capricho.)
