Last week saw 26 more countries getting Pokemon Go in addition to Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the UK and the US. Now it seems that Japan will get it tomorrow.
(Also see: Playing Pokemon Go in India? Here's Everything You Need to Know)
According to sources close to the matter speaking to TechCrunch, Pokemon Go will be available in Japan on Wednesday. What's more is that the blog claims that fast food chain McDonald's will be the game's first launch partner. It also noted that this will be the game's first launch in Asia with other countries to follow.
(Also see: How to Download Pokemon Go APK, Install, and Play on Android)
Since Japan will be Pokemon Go's first Asia release, its likely that others in the region such as India should see a release this week or the next. That hasn't stopped eager Indian fans playing it though.
(Also see: Pokemon Go Review)
The impact of players in other countries sideloading the game, in addition to those in countries where Pokemon Go is available, is that the game has been uplayable for a vast number of people due to its servers unable to deal with the load. So much so that developer Niantic who made Pokemon Go along with Nintendo and The Pokemon Company has delayed its release in other markets till this is fixed.
(Also see Pokemon Go Player? Here's How Much Mobile Data You Can Expect to Burn)
"We thought the game would be popular, but it obviously struck a nerve," Niantic CEO John Hanke said, stating that the launch in other countries has been "paused until we're comfortable". Despite the rabid interest the franchise has generated over the years, something Niantic is aware of, it has been caught by surprise.
Catch the latest from the Consumer Electronics Show on Gadgets 360, at our CES 2026 hub.