The Pokémon Company (TPC), along with Niantic, has announced the launch of its globally popular mobile gaming application Pokémon GO in Hindi. The announcement comes as India celebrated Hindi Divas yesterday, on 14th September. Hindi is the sixth language in Asia and the 15th language globally in which the game has been localized. Many Pokémon have also been renamed in Hindi to further enhance user experience.
As an iconic video game and entertainment franchise loved by millions of fans of all ages around the world, Pokémon has been bringing people together since its launch in 1996. Starting with 151 creatures, Pokémon has continued to capture the imagination of children and adults alike and currently boasts over 1,000 creatures.
Pokémon Goes Desi
In light of the ever-growing Indian fan community, TPC has decided to strengthen its commitment to the India market by renaming 800+ Pokémon in Hindi. This would make Pokémon even more relatable for the Indian fans. Everyone can now visit the official Pokédex page to access the new Hindi names and would soon be able to search for information and details related to all Pokémon in Hindi.
Pokémon GO Hindi Launch
Building on the incredible love for these creatures that transcends borders and language barriers, TPC and Niantic came together in 2016 to make the experience of catching Pokémon realistic and relatable using AR and placing exclusive Pokémon in various locations, inspiring people to explore more and join a community of global fans. To further elevate the experience of the Indian Pokémon GO community, TPC and Niantic have now added Hindi language support to this globally popular game. This exciting development will allow players to immerse themselves in the Pokémon GO universe.
Omar Tellez, VP for Emerging Markets, Niantic, on the announcement, said, “Niantic remains devoted to fostering a global community that transcends boundaries, and the addition of Hindi language support is a testament to the company’s unwavering commitment towards India and its rapidly increasing gaming audience. The Hindi version of Pokémon GO will promote inclusivity, encourage engagement, and enable more players to embark on their Pokémon GO adventures. Since the launch of the game in 2016, we have added over five lakh Pokéstops across India and the company also has been organising several on-ground activations. We are certain that this step by us with The Pokémon Company will further help us in widening our audience base in the country.”
Additionally, to celebrate the Hindi localization, Niantic is also hosting a month-long special event for Indian players. This in-game event is packed with exciting features such as Field Research, Timed Research, and Bonuses with special rewards. To increase accessibility for the Trainers across the country, Pokémon GO has also restructured the pricing for coin bundles on the Google Play and Apple Stores, as well as introduced an exclusive coin bonus for the Pokémon GO Web Store reiterating its commitment towards the Indian market.
One Dream – A Short Movie Celebrating Family Bond
To make the occasion even more special for Indian fans, TPC has gone a step further by launching a short film titled “The Journey of One Dream” in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali. The story revolves around a father and his son, reiterating the importance of family bonds. It reinforces the idea that no goal is too small and highlights the potential to turn aspirations into reality. People from every age-group can relate to the film as we all have been through a phase in life where our relations are put to the test due to our busy lifestyle. The video can be viewed on the Pokémon Asia Official Youtube channel, starting, 15th September.
Celebrating the Indian fan community, Takato Utsunomiya, Chief Operating Officer, The Pokémon Company, said, ”Since the beginning, Pokémon’s appeal has transcended generations and cultures making it a worldwide phenomenon bringing people together through the joy of play and discovery. India is one of our key markets. We believe the localization into Hindi marks the starting point of a long journey to come. We aim to firmly establish ourselves in India with our long-term vision and hope to further enrich the Pokémon world hand-in-hand with the Pokémon fan community.”
The focus on India will increase, with Pokémon determined to win more hearts in the country. So, stay tuned, because many more exciting activities are planned for India in the future!
