Official UK Pokémon Go Release Hit by Server Issues

We UK paupers no longer need to rely on downloading pirated New Zealand installers to join in with the global phenomenon that is Pokémon Go, as Niantic has announced that the game is now available on our shores via Google Play or the App Store.

However, due to the strain the game’s popularity is putting on its servers, new account registrations are temporarily suspended. Android users may still be able to register via a Google account, though.

“The enthusiastic response to the launch of Pokémon Go has been tremendous and inspiring. We’re aware of the server issues that our players have been experiencing and are working around the clock to resolve them as soon as possible,” a statement from Niantic and Nintendo reads.

Pokémon Go – which encourages players to explore their locale to find and capture pocket monsters through its augmented reality interface – has only been out for just over a week in North America and Australasia, and already it has resulted in muggings, road traffic accidents, and the discovery of a dead body. In the UK, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) has warned that the game should not have been released in the country over fears that it puts child safety at risk.

“It’s deeply troubling that the app’s owners have ignored many warning signals and well documented child safety concerns,” an NSPCC spokesperson told the BBC. “It would have been better if they had taken time to reflect on these and put their young users first.”