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Russian blogger found guilty of playing 'Pokémon Go' in church
A Russian judge has found a Russian YouTuber guilty of inciting hatred for posting antireligious videos after he filmed himself playing Pokémon Go in a church. Ruslan Sokolovsky, a 22-year-old man from the Ural mountain city of Yekaterinburg (around 1,000 miles east of Moscow), could have faced up to five years in jail for "offending religious sensibilities." Sokolovsky was handed a three and a half year suspended sentence.
SXSW's gaming awards celebrate 'Uncharted 4' and indie hits
South by Southwest isn't just about cool tech, movies and music... gaming is a big deal, too. The Austin festival has unveiled its fourth annual gaming award winners, and the top picks definitely reflect SXSW's emphases on storytelling and out-of-the-ordinary concepts. The leader, by far, was Uncharted 4. Naughty Dog's swashbuckling action game took home five prizes, including video game of the year as well as excellence awards for a memorable character, narrative, animation and visuals. It's not surprising, to be honest -- U4 has been an awards darling for months, and its combination of sophisticated characterization with breathtaking vistas was bound to be appealing to SXSW's panel.
'Pokémon Go' adds creatures from 'Gold' and 'Silver' this week
If the seasonal events Niantic Labs has added to Pokemon Go haven't been enough to keep you playing, maybe 80 new pocket monsters will. Specifically, those from the Johto region from Pokemon Gold and Silver. These additions were rumored prior, but now they're official. More than just offering monsters like Chikorita, Cyndaquil and Totodile for capture, the game's latest update refreshes a few other bits as well.
Pink creatures will invade 'Pokémon Go' this Valentine season
Pokémon Go will look a lot rosier than you're used to these next few days. For V-day 2017, pink Pokémon like Chansey, Porygon and (the evolved form of Clefairy) Clefable will spawn a lot more often than usual. But if you want some cute pink baby Pokémon instead, then start incubating some eggs, because they're more likely to hatch into Cleffa, Igglybuff and Smoochum, as well.
AR games like 'Pokémon Go' need a permit in Milwaukee
Pokémon hunting is apparently a messy business. The Milwaukee County Board passed an ordinance requiring the creators of location-based augmented reality games like Pokémon Go obtain permits before using parks as in-game landmarks. Since it specifically targets game makers, it won't keep Pokémon players out of the parks, but it sets ground rules for developers who want to use them in their games.
You can now transfer your old Pokémon to 'Sun' and 'Moon'
In a move sure to please long-time Pokémon fans, players can now transfer old Pocket Monsters to the latest games in the series, Pokémon Sun and Moon. Updating Pokémon Bank (Nintendo's subscription-based Pokémon cloud-storage service) gamers are now able to easily send their favourite 'mon from X and Y straight to Sun and Moon. For the uninitiated, this service offers a cloud storage box that can store up to 3000 different Pokémon online. You can even transfer 'mon to different generations of Pokémon games -- all for just $4.99 a year. In a bid to lure in fans of the original games, this update also allows one-way Pokédex transfers from 3DS versions of Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow via the included Poké Transporter app. With gamers previously unable to move monsters from their Game Boy games into the DS era, this means that fans of the original 150 can finally get to see their untouched old-school teams in 3D. As the series battles have changed dramatically over the years, once transferred, older Pokémon will gain new hidden stats that help keep them competitive. For players who still have previous generations of Pokédexes to relocate, Nintendo has provided the handy transfer guide below.
'Pokémon Duel' brings Pikachu and friends to iOS, Android today
Pokémon Go has a new friend on mobile today: Pokémon Duel is available now, for free, on Android and iOS devices, courtesy of The Pokémon Company International. Pokémon Duel is a strategy title that plays more like a board game than a traditional Pokémon experience. Players build a party of six Pokémon and move them across a playing field dotted with spaces where the creatures can attack, flank or block their opponents' adorable armies. The first player to reach the enemy's goal wins.
'Pokémon Go' tries to save the world at a major conference
How would you tackle important social issues through technology? If you're Niantic and The Pokémon Company, you have people play a game. They're teaming up with the Global Goals and Project Everyone campaigns to raise awareness of issues through special Pokémon Go locations at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. A total of 17 locations are turning into PokéStops based on each of the Global Goals, such as "no poverty" and "reduced inequalities." The Congress Centre at the heart of the Forum will also become a Gym, and there's a promise of additional Global Goals material in the spring.
China won't allow 'Pokémon Go' unless it's deemed safe
Don't expect to play Pokémon Go in Shanghai any time in the near future. China's official censorship body has declared that it won't license any augmented reality games until it has had a chance to determine whether or not they're a danger to personal safety and "national security." That last part is likely the real showstopper -- the government doesn't want you wandering near sensitive areas just because you're looking for a wild Pikachu.
'Pokemon Go' gives you more goodies for the holidays
One of the reasons why Pokemon Go was such a success is because it got people out and about during the summer. Now that winter is settling in and the snow is starting to fall, however, the developers at Niantic Labs have to figure out a way to keep people playing. Beginning on Christmas Day morning, Pokestops will dole out a single-use incubator. More than that, until January 3rd you'll have a better chance of finding Togepi, Pichu and other Johto-based eggs.
The best games of 2016
The year is nearly over, and I don't think I'm alone in saying that I'm ready to leave behind the dark, twisted fantasy that is 2016. No matter your political persuasion, social status or country of residence, you'll have felt disquieted by events at some point this year. The sheer scale of 2016's failings allows for such blanket statements. Natural disasters, mass shootings and political events have left me buffeted by wave after wave of anxiety. Because of this never-ending cycle of unease, video games have been more important to me this year. Of course, they're always a form of escapism, but in 2016 they've had to function as a kind of digital cocoon. Gaming has been a place to retreat. A moment of respite. Whether passing the minutes on a mindless clicker or puzzle game, losing myself for hours in grand strategies and sport sims or taking a long weekend to head out on a fantastic adventure, gaming has helped me. A lot. Perhaps that's why I've been reacting to game delays with all the composure of a YouTube commenter. And, God, the delays have come thick and fast.
'Pokémon Go' is available right now on the Apple Watch
Pokémon Go has made its way to the Apple Watch, enabling trainers to receive notifications right on their wrists about nearby Pokémon, PokéStops, eggs and medals. Players are even able to collect goodies from PokéStops directly via the Apple Watch. This latest version of Pokémon Go also lets users log each gameplay session as a workout that counts toward their Apple Watch Activity rings, and it displays the distance traveled toward hatching an egg and receiving Candy for Buddy Pokémon.
Study: 'Pokémon Go' boosts physical activity, but not for long
It was obvious when the need to catch 'em all first hit smartphones all over the world, more people were getting out of the house more to hit Gyms and Pokéstops. According to a recent study published by The BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal), Pokémon Go increased physical activity for players ages 18 to 35 in the US, but the change didn't last long. Researchers found what within six weeks of first installing the game, users had gone back to their pre-Pokémon activity levels based on the iPhone's step tracking totals.
Google's 2016 was defined by 'Pokémon Go,' Olympics and Trump
Google's Year in Search summaries have a knack for capturing the cultural zeitgeist, and that's truer than ever in 2016. The company has published its top search trends for the year, and it clearly mirrors a tumultuous 12 months defined by the unexpected, the tragic and the rise of technology. Notably, the biggest global search trend was for Pokémon Go -- yes, the wildly popular mobile game did more to captivate the world's attention than political upheaval or sports triumphs. Apple's iPhone 7 was the runner up, followed by President-elect Donald Trump.
'Pokémon Go' is live in India and South Asia
Pokémon Go has expanded to a new region about once a month, launching in Southeast Asia and Oceania back in August, parts of the Balkans and Central Asia in September and some of the Middle East in November. Today, the game is finally opening in India and these South Asian countries: Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
New 'Pokémon Go' creatures include a limited edition Pikachu
Niantic promised more creatures in Pokémon Go on December 12th, and it's delivering... with an interesting twist. It's not only adding "several" new critters from the Pokémon Gold and Silver games (such as Pichu and Togepi), but also releasing a limited edition holiday Pikachu. The Santa cap-wearing creature is available "all over the world," but only until December 29th at 1PM Eastern. If you don't find one by then, you're out of luck.
Starbucks locations are now 'Pokémon Go' Gyms or Pokéstops
We knew a Starbucks collaboration with Pokémon Go was on the way, but now it's official. Niantic, the developer of the massively popular augmented reality game, revealed today that around 7,800 Starbucks coffee shops in the US have been turned into Gyms or Pokéstops. Aside from this, since these are sponsored locations after all, trainers can also pick up a special Pokémon Go Frappuccino drink. And, just like you can do at Sprint stores now, you'll have access to a charging station too.
Sprint stores are PokéStops and Gyms for 'Pokémon Go'
As rumored, Niantic is bringing brand partnerships to its hit augmented reality game, Pokémon Go. The software developer has announced that Sprint will have the first sponsored locations in the US, with more than 10,500 stores expected to be turned into PokéStops and Gyms. It's worth nothing this doesn't only include Sprint's namesake shops, but also those from Boost Mobile and RadioShack -- which are owned by the carrier. These spaces will feature in-store charging stations too, in case your smartphone can't keep up with all your quests.
'Pokémon Go' may get 100 new Pokémon this week (updated)
Pokémon Go is about to get bigger, according to a handful of Starbucks employee guides that found their way online early this week. The images have not been verified by Niantic, the Pokémon Company or Starbucks, but Reddit sleuths claim that verified Starbucks employees have vouched for their veracity. "The world of Pokémon Go is about to expand with new Pokémon and a new Starbucks beverage!" the "Barista need-to-know" guide says. The flyers indicate that Pokémon Go's second generation will kick off on Thursday, December 8th.
Everything you missed from 'The Game Awards'
Each year that Geoff Keighley's Game Awards distances itself from its SpikeTV past, it gets subsequently less embarrassing to watch. And without a doubt, The Game Awards 2016 was the best show yet. Couldn't watch the stream? Well, that's too bad, but we've got you covered. Below you'll find a list of the night's big winners in addition to all the trailers that made their world premieres onstage at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. There were a few emotional moments onstage as well, including Ryan Green accepting the Games for Impact award for That Dragon, Cancer; Keighley presenting his friend Hideo Kojima with a statue for Industry Icon and Nolan North throwing striking voice actors under the bus during his acceptance speech for best performance.