Congratulations! Play Pokémon Go in China!

While Pokemon Go has created a global fanbase with players from almost every country, people from China haven’t even had the chance to play the game. Even though Pokemon holds a cherished place in the memories of 90’s Chinese kids, the game is not even within their reach to relive those memories.

The good news is that you can still play the game from China even if it is banned. Here, we will tell you how to play Pokemon GO in China without getting banned and bypassing the restrictions. So, if you are looking forward to starting your Pokemon Go journey from China, stay with us till the end.

Part 1: The History of Pokemon Cartoons in China

The history of the Pokemon franchise in China isn’t straightforward. There are many complexities regarding name changes, bootleg games, and regional variations. Still, there were some instances where Pokemon left its mark in China. Let’s get a quick rundown of that history.

Pokemon Cartoons in China

Pokemon’s arrival in China during the late 1990s was met with enthusiasm. The anime, aptly translated as “Pocket Monsters,” quickly became a national obsession. Kids were glued to the adventures of Xiaozhi, who we know as Ash Ketchum, and his loyal Pikachu. The themes of friendship, perseverance, and the unique bond between trainer and Pokemon resonated deeply with young audiences like anywhere else.

The Pokemon anime has been dubbed in both Mandarin and Cantonese. Mainland China’s experience with the anime was interesting. In the 2000s, only the first 54 episodes and parts of the Orange League arc were aired. After a three-year break, the anime returned in 2011. Meanwhile, episodes were consistently broadcast in Taiwan and Hong Kong. The theme songs have also been adapted into these three languages.

Pokemon Trading Card Games in China

Pokemon’s success extended beyond the anime. The Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) arrived in China around the early 2000s, further fueling the craze. Schoolyards transformed into battlegrounds as kids traded, strategized, and dueled with their meticulously curated decks. However, this golden age came to an abrupt halt. Concerns about gambling and the potential for unregulated trading led to restrictions on the TCG in the mid-2000s. This marked the first instance of government intervention in the Pokemon phenomenon.

Pokemon Video Games

The history of Pokemon Video games isn’t that vast in China. Due to a 14-year ban on video games in mainland China, Pokemon video games weren’t officially available until 2016. Gamers in Taiwan and Hong Kong used to play the Japanese or English versions, while mainland China had bootleg versions to fill the void. The first officially translated games into Chinese were Pokemon Sun and Moon. Within the same year in 2016, China even held a national championship in Taipei and Hong Kong for the Pokemon video game.

Part 2: Why Can’t You Play Pokemon Go in China?

There are several reasons why Pokemon Go isn’t officially available in Mainland China. These reasons are tied to the government’s regulations and desire to promote domestic industries.

Government Regulations

The Chinese Government imposes some rules and regulations on the use of games like Pokemon GO that feature GEO-location-based gameplay and augmented reality. There are two key factors that lead to the banning of Pokemon Go in China.

Security Concerns:  

Pokemon Go’s core gameplay involves players venturing outdoors and interacting with the real world through their phones. This raises concerns for the Chinese government.  Authorities might worry about players stumbling upon sensitive locations or gathering in public spaces in ways that disrupt social order.  The unpredictable nature of AR gameplay, where players could theoretically wander into restricted areas, poses a potential security challenge.

Content Control:

The Chinese government enforces strict regulations on content deemed inappropriate. While Pokemon Go isn’t inherently violent, location-based games with AR features might be seen as encouraging unsupervised exploration, which could potentially lead to undesirable situations.

Promoting Domestic Industries

Besides the government’s concern, another reason for banning Pokemon Go in China is the country’s unwillingness to promote foreign industries. You can also call this policy of promoting domestic industries. The country wants to highlight its own gaming industry and doesn’t want to associate with foreign services, either. Here’s a breakdown of the reasons.

Competition for Domestic Games

China actively promotes its gaming industry. Pokemon Go, a foreign-developed app, might be considered unfair competition for homegrown titles. The government wants to foster a strong domestic gaming scene that generates revenue and promotes intellectual property (IP) created within China. Pokemon Go’s global popularity could overshadow Chinese-developed mobile games.

Integration with Foreign Services

Pokemon Go relies heavily on Google Maps, a service restricted in China. While domestic alternatives like Baidu Maps exist, the seamless integration with Google Maps poses another obstacle to the game’s official release.  The reliance on a foreign mapping service creates compatibility issues and raises potential data security concerns for the Chinese government. They might prefer domestic mapping services with greater control over user data.

Play Pokemon Go in China without Banned! [Problem Solved]

Even after all these restrictions and bans, there is a way to play Pokemon Go in China. The solution comes in two parts. First, you download the game using an Apple ID from a different region, so basically, reset your device and register with an Apple ID from a location different from China. The next part is to use location changer software like iWhere iPhone Location Changer. Why this one? Well, it comes with features that don’t end up violating the terms and conditions of Pokemon Go. So, you never have to worry about getting banned from the game when using the software.

Key Features

• Mimics human-like movement using adjustable speed ranging from 1m/s to 50m/s, so you don’t get detected by the game.
• 4 different movement modes such as modify location (basic), multi-stop mode, joystick mode, and one-stop mode for different needs.
• No need to jailbreak the iPhone, simply click a single button to change the location.
• Free and flexible movement option with the joystick mode to randomly explore the Pokemon Go world.
• Find effective location settings from other users and share them using the GPX file format support.

Steps to use for changing location to play Pokemon GO.

Step 1: Open the iWhere software on your computer and connect your iPhone to it. Next, check the box to agree with the disclaimer and then click on “Start” to proceed.

Step 2: In the next screen, four different movement modes will be available. You can use the “Modify Location” mode to play the game with more freedom of movement. So, click on “modify location” to proceed further.

Step 3: Now, you will see a map with a cursor indicating your current location. From here, you will find the option to change your location on the map. To change your location go to the top left side of the screen. There, you will see a search bar to help you look for locations to decide your new destination.

Step 4: There are two ways to choose the destination. You can use the search bar to input an address, or you can navigate through the map and use the pointer to select the location. After choosing the location, you have to confirm it by clicking on the “Confirm Modify” button. As soon as you click it, your location will be changed to the new one.

Step 5: If you have liked a certain spot that you previously visited in the game through this tool, then you can access it from “Manage History.” It will show you all the previous locations you traveled to within this tool.

FAQ:

Where is Pokemon Go still unavailable?

Pokemon Go isn’t officially available in several regions, primarily due to government regulations or limitations on underlying services. Whether the game will be available in the countries is still uncertain. Here’s a table to showcase where the game is unavailable or blocked.

There might be isolated cases of unavailability in other regions due to specific restrictions or limitations on Google Maps integration, a core game component. However, these are less common, and information might be harder to verify.

Conclusion

To conclude the whole discussion, knowing how to play Pokemon Go in China can be great since you don’t even have access to the game. As you can see, playing the game is not difficult when you have handy software like the iWhere iPhone Location Changer. It will not only help you play the game from China, but you can also play it right from home. With the advanced features of the software, you won’t have to worry about getting banned from the game either. So, even if you are living in China, you still can “Catch ’em all”.