Pokemon Go is absolutely everywhere right now. You can’t open Twitter, Facebook or any other social networking app without being bombarded by people talking about the game. Reddit is full of posts on the subject, and the chances are you already know someone who is playing it even if you aren’t. Although that very much depends on where you live.
The reason for that is simple. Nintendo and Niantic took the decision to release Pokemon Go in the United States and some other countries initially. That means that some users in the European and Asian countries, for example, are unable to play Pokemon Go even if it feels like everyone else already is. That’s a shame, because the game is actually rather good.
But fear not, intrepid Pokemon collector, for we have a solution. As they say, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and that has never been more true than when a gamer needs to find a way to get a game they shouldn’t have access to.
As it turns out, getting your hands on Pokemon Go when you are outside the US in an unsupported country isn’t all that difficult no matter whether you are using an iPhone or an Android device. Both the App Store and Google Play Store offer Pokemon GO in the US store, and that’s exactly what we’re going to show you how to access. Here goes.
Android
With Android, you can always grab a game’s APK off of the web, though that isn’t always the most secure option, especially with games that are as popular as Pokemon Go. Sideloading the game would also mean that it won’t be able to receive automatic updates from the Play Store. If you have these same concerns, here’s what you need to do.
Step 1: On your Android device of choice head on over to settings, then the accounts menu and select the option to add a new Google account.
Step 2: Sign up with a Google Gmail address. It doesn’t matter which so long as it’s not your main account. It will only be used to access the US-based Google Play Store.
Step 3: Follow the process to add the account to your device. It’s all fairly simple.
Step 4: Visit wallet.google.com/manage/w/0/#settings for the same account. You might want to do this part on a computer for ease of use. Here, you will be prompted to select a country – choose the US, obviously – and enter a zip code of your choice. At this point, you can also add a payment method if you so desire. You don’t have to, though.
Step 5: Back on your device, download and install a VPN app. There are lots and lots to choose from on the Play Store, so find one that’s free. You’re only going to use it for a few minutes. Just make sure it has a server in the US that you can connect to.
Step 6: Connect to the US VPN.
Step 7: Open up the Play Store on your device, and switch to the new account that you created a few minutes ago.
Step 8: Search for, and then install Pokemon Go. That’s kind of what we’re here for.
Step 9: Disconnect from your VPN. You don’t need it anymore. Switch back to your main Google account on Play Store as well.
Step 10: Lose the next few months of your life to catching Pokemon.
iOS
The process for downloading Pokemon Go on iOS is very similar in that you need to create a US-based iTunes account and then connect to the US App Store. We’ve already covered those exact steps in this guide here: How To Create US, UK Or Any App Store / iTunes Account Anywhere In The World. It’s not rocket science, so just be sure to follow the steps and you’ll be playing Pokemon Go before you know it.
And we’re done. Just remember, folks – you’ve gotta catch ’em all!
Update x1: Germany is now the first country in Europe to get Pokemon Go. The game is now available on German version of both Play Store and App Store.
Update x2: The game is now officially live in Canada, 26 more countries in the Europe, including Spain, Portugal and Italy, the UK, and more.
Update x3: Pokemon Go is now finally available in home country Japan as well!
Update x4: Pokemon Go game is now available in 15 more countries across Asia and Oceania, including: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau.
Update x5: There’s now a hacked version of the game available as well with all the cheats built-in. You can download it for iOS from here: Download Pokemon Go++ 1.3.1 Hacked IPA On iPhone Without Jailbreak, Here’s How.
You may also like to check out:
- The Best Pokemon Go Cheats, Tweaks, Tips [Guide]
- Galaxy S7 / S7 Edge Vs iPhone 6s / 6s Plus [Comparison]
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