Pokémon GO launches support for Hindi language, gives popular Pokémons Hindi names

Niantic announced it will be renaming more than 800 of its popular Pokémons in Hindi as part of its effort to increase user engagement in India

The company announced it will be renaming more than 800 of its popular Pokémons in Hindi [File] | Photo Credit: AP

The Pokémon Company (TPC), along with Niantic, announced the launch of its popular mobile gaming application Pokémon GO in Hindi on the eve of Hindi Divas in the country.

The company announced it will be renaming more than 800 of its popular Pokémons in Hindi as part of the launch.

In response to whether more languages will be coming to Pokémon Go, Omar Tellez, VP for Emerging Markets, Niantic said Hindi is the first language the makers of the game are covering and more will be coming.

The company is also expanding its team in the country, both directly and indirectly to initiate more community days and increase engagement. The company plans to make significant investments in India in the form of partnerships that will help it increase user participation in community events focused on festivals in the country, Tellez added.

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Niantic is also working on improving the adoption of its Lightship Platform for developers. The platform currently has “close to 100 games and developers leveraging the platform” and it is going as per plan, Tellez said.

On the topic of AR/VR adoption in the country, Tellez said that the adoption of the technology “has really taken us by surprise”. Improvements in technology including GPS, 5G penetration, and accelerated computing have significantly increased adoption in the country.

On the subject of user data protection, Tellez says the company is looking forward to abiding by the local laws to ensure the privacy and data security of its users.

“The Hindi version of Pokémon GO will promote inclusivity, encourage engagement, and enable more players to embark on their Pokémon GO adventures,” Tellez added.