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 on 14 September.
Hindi is the sixth language in Asia and the 15th language globally in which the game has been localised. More than 800 Pokémon have been renamed in Hindi to further enhance user experience.
TPC believes that this would make Pokémon more relatable for the Indian fans. Users can visit the official Pokédex page to access the new Hindi names and will soon be able to search for information and details related to all Pokémon in Hindi.
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. TPC and Niantic have added Hindi language support to the game.
“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,” said Niantic emerging markets VP Omar Tellez. “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.”
“India is one of our key markets. We believe the localisation 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,” said The Pokémon Company chief operating officer Takato Utsunomiya.
Additionally, to celebrate the Hindi localisation, 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.
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 now viewed on the Pokémon Asia Official Youtube channel.
The focus on India will increase, with Pokémon determined to win more hearts in the country. Many more exciting activities are planned for India in the future.
