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SINGAPORE – Pokemon Go fans can visit up to 300 new Pokestops and Gyms at tourist establishments around the island starting Thursday (November 12).
These new locations are the latest additions to the augmented reality game, following a partnership between the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Niantic, the American developer behind the popular mobile game.
Their one-year partnership, announced by the STB on Thursday, is part of the SingapoRediscovers campaign launched in July this year to support local businesses.
The augmented reality game first arrived in Singapore in 2016 and involves catching monsters that can only be reached by traveling to physical locations and collecting items at virtual stops known as Pokestops.
New stops in the mobile game, also called Pogo, can be found at hotels, retailers, and local attractions, as well as food and beverage outlets.
They are also found at tourist ticketing stations in 10 areas, including Changi, Chinatown, Joo Chiat, and Mandai.
Stops will have a banner in the app that links to the SingpoRediscovers microsite, showing current promotions.
Special raids with “rare Pokémon” will also be scheduled in some areas, STB said.
A spokesperson for STB told The Straits Times that these raids will be of Level 5 difficulty, which may require more than eight players.
“Raids” refer to battles in which players collaborate to catch powerful and coveted virtual monsters, often drawing massive crowds.
Last April, thousands of Pogo fans flocked to Sentosa for Southeast Asia’s first Pokémon Go Safari event, which also featured raids.
About 125,000 visitors signed up for the five-day event, which allowed players to catch virtual monsters unique to the region.
Aware of the safe distancing restrictions, STB has notified its safe distancing ambassadors and other government agencies of the ongoing event.
Participating tourism companies have also been advised to observe safe management measures for public health and safety reasons, he added.
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