10 Problems Indians Are Facing While Playing Pokémon GO

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, Pokémon GO is all the rage in the world right now. For the uninitiated, Pokémon GO is a smartphone-based game where players use the phone’s GPS to roam in their city and catch different pokémon. There are also Pokéstops to help you get items like pokéballs and eggs, and there are gyms which players can take over and use it to battle other players.

Over the last couple of weeks, Pokémon GO has spiralled out of control and has taken over social media, with memes and posts appearing regularly about how it has completely taken over people’s lives. But playing Pokémon GO in India is a completely different ballgame, and it doesn’t come without it’s fair share of problems. Here are some of the issues which players are facing in India.

1. Perennial network problems.

Thanks Vodafone 3G, I tried to catch a Pokémon at Chembur station, but I had to wait for 25 minutes in the rain before I could #PokemonGo

— Krishna Subramanian (@krisubbu) July 11, 2016

 

2. Almost all Pokéstops are temples.

 

3. Trying not to look like a creepy stalker with a camera while catching that pokémon that has appeared.

*plays Pokémon Go*

*was about to catch Pikachu*

Random Girl on the Street : Yeh hulkut meri photo kheech raha hai. Maro isko pakad ke

— Jinav Satra (@jinavs) July 10, 2016

 

4. You go in search of a Pokéstop, but find yourself more potholes.

The monsoon problem is real in India.

 

5. You run out of nicknames for your Pokémon.

 

6. Instead of Cerulean City and Viridian Forest, you have gym names like Pimple Saudagar and Ghatkopar.

 

7. Your parents don’t understand what the hell is happening.

 

8. You will find Pokémon in the weirdest of places.

In chai tapris, water tanks over your buildings. I swear I even found a Zubat at a vadapav stall.

 

9. You will have to battle pokémon at a gym owned by Balaji.

#JustIndianNameThinhgs ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

10. The word spreads like WILDFIRE!

While the official release for Android and iOS in India is yet to come, that hasn’t deterred people from downloading cracked versions and dominating the place before others.

Gotta catch ’em all!

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Cover image sources: 1 & 2