Reliance Jio brings 'Pokemon GO' to India in partnership with Niantic

NEW DELHI: Ending the wait for millions of gaming lovers in India, Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (Jio) has brought the famous Augmented Reality (AR) game ‘Pokémon GO’ to India in a partnership with Niantic, the publisher and developer of the gaming app. “We are delighted to partner with Jio to launch Pokémon GO in India.” John Hanke, Chief Executive Officer and founder of Niantic was quoted as saying in a release. “It’s exciting to see Pokémon fans in India step out and explore their neighbourhoods in search of Pokémon and Jio’s disruptive high speed 4G LTE Network will be an excellent way to experience the game,” Hanke said. "The two companies will work together to bring Indians a richer and more enjoyable mobile entertainment experience for Pokémon GO, including activating Jio retail locations and charging stations as PokéStops and Gyms within the game and allowing Indians to catch, train, and battle at any of Jio’s outlets throughout the country," the company said in the statement. On JioChat, Jio's social messaging app, Pokémon players will have access to an exclusive "Pokémon Go Channel" that will enable players to collaborate and be part of an exciting community with daily tips, contests, clues and special events. "Our partnership with Niantic not only brings access to the Pokémon GO app but also opens the door to more opportunities for our customers to enjoy content on Jio's one-of-a-kind mobile broadband network," Mathew Oommen, President, Reliance Jio said. "Jio SIM customers will be able to download and play Pokémon GO without incurring data charges, like any other apps and content, till 31st March 2017," the company said. Played on iOS and Android devices, the game allows players to track virtual Pokemons around a city, capture and even battle others using them. With GPS on the phone turned on, the game not only tracks the player’s movement on a map but also indicates when a Pokemon or Pokestop, where freebies can be collected, or Gyms, where they can engage in battle, are nearby. The mobile game is geared to bring to life the world of fantasy inhabited by anyone who grew up on a staple of the hugely successful anime series Pokemon.