Bad News: Olympians Can’t Play Pokemon Go in Rio
While we’re back home getting excited for the Olympics and prepping our parties, the actual Olympians are already down in Rio and describing a host of problems: The village isn’t ready for habitation, there are violent protests throughout Rio AND THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO POKEMON ANYWHERE TO BE CAUGHT!
Want to know the worst thing about the Olympic village? No @PokemonGoApp. Otherwise, it's incredible.
— Abby Johnston (@AbbyLJohnston) July 26, 2016
When the Olympians aren’t, ahem, training for the Olympics, it makes sense that they would want to spend their downtime relaxing and catching Pokemon. However, the Pokemon-addiction they may have developed in their home countries will have to wait. Although the app has launched in over 30 countries, Brazil is not one of them. And despite pleas from the mayor of Rio, Eduardo Paes, for Nintendo to release the game in Brazil in time for the Olympics, it seems that there are absolutely no PokeStops to be found.
No Pokemon in Deodoro Olympic venue! Or in Brazil!?? 💔😩📍 @NianticLabs @PokemonGoApp @Pokemon #PokemonGO #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/xiRMcqhXfV
— Joe Clarke (@joeclarkek1) July 26, 2016
Luckily, all of us at home can multitask for the athletes abroad. On Friday, tune into the opening ceremony, cheer on our team, fire up the app and start catching Pokemon for all the athletes representing us in Rio. USA! USA!
Are you still addicted to Pokemon Go? Let us know @BritandCo!
(h/t Quartz, photos via Pokemon Go + Streeter Lecka/Getty)
