The augmented reality mobile game 'Pokemon Go''is shown on a smartphone screen in this photo illustration taken in Palm Springs, California, on July 11. ReutersWhile the wait for the official launch of Pokemon Go is still on, the game has been geo-blocked in some parts of India, according to reports.
On Friday, Pokemon Go was blocked in Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Pune. However, Pokemon Go servers were reportedly accessible in northern and western regions with limited number of Pokestops and gyms.
Though the scene in Kerala is nothing different, Onmanorama caught up with some of the Pokemon enthusiasts here.
The gaming experience
Lack of high speed Internet connectivity was a major factor that affected the gaming experience here. It is essential that you have a 3G or 4G data connectivity to ensure a flawless gaming experience. And here, Wi-Fi in public places is still a luxury. Battery drain is another problem Pokemon Go users face.
Unni Balachandran, hailing from Changanassery, who used to play the game via APK download said: “It is essential to have Internet connectivity at good speeds, the GPS must also work in accordance as quickly as possible, then only can the game locate where you are on the map.”
He said he also faced server errors recently. “It is very difficult to log on to the game at times,” he added.
Adarsh V. Sagar, a gamer from Kottayam, said: “ The game was easily accessible via a simple APK download that any user can find from the security settings on their phones. Basically, what we would do was to allow the android phone capable of running apps from external devices. Access to APK webpage was confirmed after this from where the game was easily downloadable.”
He said that issues with playing the game only started recently. Pokemon Go makers have removed all data in Pokemon Go locator.
Is the new geo-block in anyway a hint that the game will be available in India soon? According to an update in a Reddit thread - Pokemon Go Release Status – Asia, India was added to the server list.
The official version of Pokemon Go is expected to release in India by September.
