Pikachu sighted in Germany as 'Pokémon Go' continues its international rollout

Pokémon Go is set to continue its path toward world domination as the app becomes available in more countries. The game has now launched in Germany, having debuted in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States on July 6.

Like many mobile titles, Pokémon Go was set to roll out internationally in stages, having undergone lengthy field testing ahead of its initial release. However, the immense popularity of the app caused server problems in the early going, so the launch schedule for other territories was delayed.

The game’s German launch will no doubt be an encouraging sign to players still waiting to start playing. While there’s no indication that more countries are set to receive the game imminently, fans are being advised to keep an eye on the social media presence for Pokémon Go in their region for further updates.

The fact that Germany now has access to the game might suggest that that other European countries could be next in line. However, there’s also word that a full-scale launch in Asia — the birthplace of the Pokémon franchise — is scheduled for this week, according to a report from Polygon.

Pokémon Go launched one week ago, and already millions of players have downloaded the app, causing Nintendo’s stock to soar and accelerating negotiations for a live-action Pokémon movie. The game is a hit, so the team at developer Niantic will be eager to make it available to as many players as possible — as long as their servers are up to the task.

After the middling success of Miitomo, there were some questions about whether mobile gaming would be profitable for Nintendo. However, Pokémon Go has already silenced many skeptics, and its popularity looks set to increase as more players around the world gain access to the game.