The Pokémon Go game is now available in Tajikistan officially.
The Pokémon Go’s website notes that the game is now fully playable in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia.
Pokémon Go is a free-to-play, location-based augmented reality game developed by Niantic for iOS, Android, and Apple Watch devices. It was initially released in selected countries in July 2016.
I n the game, players use a mobile device's GPS capability to locate, capture, battle, and train virtual creatures, called Pokémon, who appear on the screen as if they were in the same real-world location as the player. The game supports in-app purchases for additional in-game items.
Pokémon Go was released to mixed reviews, with critics praising the game's concept and the incentive to be more active in the real world, while criticizing frequent technical issues apparent at launch. Despite such reviews, it quickly became a global phenomenon and was one of the most used and profitable mobile apps in 2016, having been downloaded more than 500 million times worldwide. It was credited with popularizing location-based and augmented reality gaming, promoting physical activity, along with helping local businesses grow. However, it attracted controversy for contributing to accidents and becoming a public nuisance at some locations. Various governments expressed concerns over the security of the game, with some countries passing legislation regarding it.
The game's extended launch began on July 6, 2016, with releases in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Due to server strain from high demand upon release, Niantic CEO John Hanke stated that the release in other regions was to be “paused until Niantic was comfortable” fixing the issues. European releases started on July 13, and the game became available to most of the continent over the following ten days.
The Japanese launch was initially reported to be on July 20; however, the game was delayed after a sponsorship deal with fast food chain McDonald's was leaked, instead releasing two days later.
Although the game was proposed to be released in France on July 15, it was postponed until July 24 out of respect and due to safety concerns following a terrorist attack in Nice on July 14.
Following the shutdown of third-party apps and websites in late-July 2016—significantly reducing server strain—Niantic was able to continue pushing release worldwide. Central and South America and most of Southeast Asia subsequently saw releases in early August. Indonesia was the first Asian country to have the game playable; despite the game not being officially released in that region until August 6. In South Korea, the game was not officially released as major restrictions on the use of online mapping data exist. However, due to a glitch, a small area around Sokcho in the northeastern part of the country was considered a part of Niantic's North Korea mapping region, making the game fully playable in that area.
In mainland China, Google services are banned by the Great Firewall. Players of Pokémon Go in China bought Australian App Store IDs and used a GPS spoofing app to use Google services. Many Chinese people downloaded a clone app called City Spirit Go, which was released shortly after Pokémon Go's beta test in Japan. During its launch in Southeast Asia in August 2016, the game officially excluded Myanmar (Burma), but gamers around Yangon, Mandalay and Taunggyi discovered that the game was fully playable after its release in Thailand. The game was released in the Balkans, Macau, and Central Asia in September 2016, and in parts of Africa the following month.
