Pokémon Go Is Back in Nepal but Has the Hype Died Already? [Opinion]

Pokémon Go was officially released in Nepal on December 13. Pokémon Go, a game by Niantic Inc. was popular globally during its initial launch and was the most popular app on Android/IOS in the first few weeks of its launching. The game was also available for Nepali aficionados before being Geo-banned on July 22.  Ever since being Geo-Banned, Pokémon Go has undergone a lot of updates and upgrades, like the “Buddy System” and “Nearby Tracker” which makes the game much more convenient than it was before. The Poke-Stops and Gyms haven’t changed, so old players can still visit places like “Kathmandu Durbar Square”, “Baudhhanath Stupa” for a bounty of items and newer Pokémons.

Pokémon Go was extremely popular in Nepal before, but the hype for the game seems to have dried up. Before being Geo-Banned by Niantic, Pokémon Go had a lot of fan-base. Even those people who had never followed Pokémon franchise had joined the hype train and played the game. People would play the game simply because it was the talk-of-the-town or their friends were playing it. But after five months, the hype simply isn’t there anymore. Even some of my friends, who were into Pokémon before Pokémon Go made an impact, weren’t excited over the game’s re-coming. Currently, there are very few Pokémon Go players active in Nepal.

See: 14 Interesting and Funny Reactions to ‘Pokémon Go’ in Nepali Social Media

Despite Pokémon Go being officially launched in Nepal just a couple of days ago, there were a lot of players who played the game when it was unofficially launched. These players have really strong Pokémons and also have access to all the gyms. It is very hard for a new player to challenge them and fully enjoy all the aspects of the game. Not to forget, I found a lot of Pokémon Trainers with Pokémons that aren’t even available in Nepal, i.e. The game has a lot of hackers and GPS Spoofers.

Pokémon Go Tips

If you’re new to this game, here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Catch as many Pokémons as you can, it gives you candies and “Stardust” which can be used to make your Pokémon Stronger.
2. Aim to land the Poke-ball just when the circle is smaller. This increases the chance of catching that Pokémon. Use Rasp Berries to make it easier.
3. Do not attack the Poke-Gyms until you have a Pokémon that’s stronger than that of the Gyms’.
4. Higher CP (Combat Point) doesn’t mean the Pokémon is Stronger. Use the “Appraisal” feature to determine if the Pokémon is worthy of being trained.
5. You increase the chances of Catching rare Pokémons if you use incense while walking/moving around.
6. Use Lucky Eggs when evolving or hatching eggs for maximum efficiency.

I’ve been waiting for Pokémon Go to be released in Nepal since the Geo-ban and am certainly very pleased that its back. But the hype has died for a lot of players. I believe that Pokémon GO won’t attract a lot of attention, only the true fans of the franchise will follow its legacy. After all, who doesn’t want to be a Pokémon Master?

Download Pokémon Go