The Rio Olympics have been plagued by environmental and health related issues at every turn, but if you’re willing to brave all that, you might be able to catch some Pokemon.
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On his Facebook page, Eduardo Paes, Mayor of Rio De Janeiro, expressed interest in having Niantic’s Pokemon GO be a part of the 2016 Olympics (via Money.CNN). He requested for Nintendo release the game in Rio, as it is only currently available in The U.K., Australia, Germany, New Zealand, and The United States.
His dream scenario would be to have the game up and running so that attendees and athletes alike could find common and uncommon Pokemon between Olympic events, and it could elevate interest amongst people who typically don’t attend the Olympic ceremonies.
Unfortunately for the Mayor, the game has no current release date set for Brazil, and the Olympic games are fast approaching, taking place on August 5th through the 21st.
Even if Nintendo and Niantic get the servers up in time for the much-heralded event, it really shouldn’t be the priority for organizers. The heavily polluted water and the spreading of Zika should be at the forefront of any planning committee.
If those conditions stay the same, you’re more likely to catch a Koffing or a Grimer during your Olympic Pokemon expedition.
