This Week in Pokémon Go News

[inkstone]

Happy Friday, trainers!

• The main highlight from the past week was the launch of Pokémon Go in 15 countries across Asia and Oceana! Please allow your mod a moment of selfishness and let me especially welcome my kaibigan from the Philippines. Mabuhay! (full list of countries)

• Niantic has begun removing PokeStops and gyms from some locations--specifically the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Japan and the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. Which, to be fair, probably should never have had any of those virtual landmarks added in the first place. (source)

• Japanese prefectures hard hit by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami have formed a collaboration with Niantic to use Pokémon Go to promote tourism by adding PokeStops and gyms to sitesighting spots. (source)

• A Fresno City College is offering physical education class specializing in PokeGo. (source)

Any bits of news from your neck of the woods?

Comments

[storme]

This area is also dry of Charmanders and it makes me very very sad.

[recessional]

I have managed to hatch one (1) other than my starter, and I have hatched A LOT OF EGGS OK.

*sulk*

[storme]

Yesterday one -- the only one I've seen in the wild -- spawned a few minutes after I had walked away from a spawn-heavy area to find a bathroom; my wife (bless her soul) texted me immediately and I ran back to catch it. Pokemon Go vs dignity, one point to PG.