Thousands flood Sentosa for Southeast Asia's first Pokemon Go Safari Zone event
SINGAPORE: Thousands of people armed with Pokeballs flooded Sentosa for Southeast Asia's commencement Pokemon Go Safari Zone issue, which started on Thursday (Apr 18).
The event is ready to draw more 100,000 participants over five days, with many coming from overseas to accept role.
Safari Zone events have been held in various countries and regions worldwide, and was virtually recently in Brazil from January 25 to Jan 27.
These events let participants to obtain region-specific Pokemon that cannot be caught in the host countries, with increased spawn rates of rare creatures and event-exclusive gameplay features throughout a designated area.
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Attractions across the 5km-long trail in Sentosa include the world's beginning 6m-tall Lapras inflatable, Pokemon photo points, daily meet-and-greet sessions with Pikachu and a Pokemon popular-upwardly shop.
Themed balance areas based on the three teams in Pokemon Become - Mystic, Valor and Instinct - are likewise bachelor, where players can mingle and cool off, also as seek shelter in the consequence of moisture weather.
Pikachu visors were also given away at random intervals throughout the event to shield participants from the dominicus.
Fourth dimension WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY
"I was very excited when I saw that my relatives and I all qualified to play on the inaugural day of the effect in Singapore," said 38-twelvemonth-erstwhile retail manager Clifford Loi, who took a day off to explore Sentosa on Th with his family.
"My dominate plays likewise," he chuckled.
A full of 125,000 tickets to the effect were allocated to participants who balloted online in early on March, with about fourscore per cent handed to locals and xx per cent to tourists.
A 42-year-old educator, who wanted to exist known just equally Mr Tang, said the best part of Pokemon Get is "the time spent as a family".
"We will probably stay iii to half-dozen hours at Sentosa. Hopefully we will get to all the checkpoints, and haul a few Tropius. It's a public holiday anyway, a perfect fourth dimension to spend outdoors with the family," said Mr Tang, who will be attending the event on Friday with his wife and children.
COMING FROM Afar
Freelance tutor Plyor Wongsuchat, 31, and her friend Rungnapa Damrongvatanapokin, thirty, flew down from Thailand for a weekend trip to Singapore. They made arrangements after their applications for tickets were approved.
"I was happy that one of my closest friends got tickets for the aforementioned twenty-four hours," said Ms Plyor, an avid player and Pokemon fan.
"After being confirmed, I hesitated to come," conceded Ms Rungnapa, who does non know if the experience will be worth it. The trip cost the duo about THB29,000 (Due south$ane,230), but their trip is non all about Pokemon.
"It's besides a trip to run into some of my friends here anyway that I've made through my bunny'due south Instagram account," said Ms Plyor, who is looking forward to the nutrient in Singapore.
The McGuire family unit, who take played Pokemon Become since its launch, flew downward from Portland, Oregon, and planned a holiday around the Safari Zone event.
They previously attended the Go Fest event in Chicago and Safari Zone events in Taiwan.
"I like how the game is constantly evolving. At that place's PVP (role player versus player) and new content, keeping it fresh. In Portland, Oregon there are PVP tournaments and meetups, where I've fabricated lots of friends," said Corinna, 51, a medical technician.
"I've always enjoyed the calorie-free heartedness of the game," said xx-year-one-time student Anne.
"It has to exist a place which we want to visit, and we wanted to visit Singapore," said Corrine.
"Singapore has a reputation of beingness a really fun identify to travel. Information technology'southward clean and tourist friendly, nosotros like Pokemon and travel and so why not do both?"
YouTube personalities Nicholas Oyzon, from Los Angeles, and Julian Sherrod, from Philadelphia, besides made an appearance at the issue.
Mr Oyzon's Pokemon Go-focused YouTube channel, Trainer Tips, which chronicles his journeys as a Pokemon Trainer, boasts more than 851,000 subscribers. Mr Sherrod, who runs DX1, a similar aqueduct, has more than xiii,000 subscribers.
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The duo attended the event with several friends, including Brandon Tan, 28, from Singapore.
"Honestly it's simply beingness able to hang out with all my friends from effectually the globe, getting to see people that I know here, people that come up from other countries that I've met earlier," said Mr Oyzon.
"I am actually quite into PVP," added Mr Tan, who is self-employed. He regularly organises community events and meetups locally.
Mr Sherrod said his highlight of the event so far was communicable a shiny Lapras just moments before, while fans looked on.
Inclusivity was also the name of the game in Sentosa. Andy Lee, who was in a wheelchair, had piffling trouble navigating the beaches of Sentosa.
"I'1000 very happy and excited, it's the first time I'm attention this kind of event," said the 26-twelvemonth-old Mr Lee, who works as a phone call center agent. Bated from the odd staircase, he said that his Pokemon journey has been shine, as Singapore is wheelchair user-friendly.
Mr Lee attended the event with his friend, 22-year-former Calvin Voo, who is currently serving National Service. Both men took a day off from their respective commitments.
RARE POKEMON
An in-game highlight of the Safari Zone outcome is the appearance of Tropius, a species of Pokemon resembling a dinosaur with large, wing-like leaves, normally obtainable just in Africa, South Kingdom of spain and Crete.
Lapras, an otherwise rare Pokemon species, is also more than ordinarily encountered during the event. The aquatic Pokemon has been featured prominently in local Pokemon-related collaterals, due to its popularity and association with h2o, a "plumbing equipment epitome for Singapore", co-ordinate to principal business organisation officeholder of The Pokemon Company Ito Kenjiro.
Also featured is Unown, an elusive entity shaped similar symbols and messages, a long-necked tropical variant of Exeggutor, which resemble palm trees, Shuckle, a shy bug Pokemon species, and Dratini, a fan favourite with a dragon-based evolutionary line. The Unown variants that tin can exist caught in this event spell Sentosa.
Guests attending the Safari Zone upshot without tickets will still be able to experience normal gameplay, and tin can participate in the various activities and attractions that will exist taking place during the outcome.
"While we expect college visitorship during the event menses, information technology will exist business as usual at Sentosa's various unique leisure offerings, and the island will go along to welcome all locals and tourists," said Lynette Ang, principal marketing officer of Sentosa.
SINGAPORE THE "Tiptop Choice" IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
Hikaru Ray Adachi, Niantic's senior director of product marketing (APAC), said that Singapore was the top pick to host Southeast Asia'southward first Safari Zone event, every bit player experience is a top priority.
"Niantic is aware of the large Pokémon GO thespian base we have in Singapore and in the surrounding regions, and this also played a large function in our decision," Mr Adachi told members of the media in an interview.
"Some of the other deciding factors were Singapore'due south geographic location, its friendly and welcoming policies coupled with great back up from local officials, as well as the nation's reputation as a regional tourist hub."
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Mr Adachi added that Sentosa was called considering information technology was "uniquely suited" for the event due to its diverse attractions and family-friendly position.
"We want our player base to get out in that location and explore the existent world while they play our games. Sentosa is very much aligned with this theme and as well as with our three pronged mission of encouraging discovery, do, and real-earth socialising," he said.
"As such, the Pokemon Go Safari is non simply a chance to come across your favourite rare Pokemon, just likewise an opportunity to rediscover local attractions, cities, interact with people, and build lasting friendships throughout the journey."
Players volition accept to go along guessing on future plans for Pokemon Go, and Mr Adachi'due south lips were tightly sealed near time to come plans for the game, as well every bit details on as-yet unavailable Pokemon.
The Safari Zone upshot is not the first fourth dimension the beaches of Sentosa take been invaded past Pokemon. Over vi days in Dec last year, a Pikachu Night Parade saw 9 Pikachu dressed in LED lights marching and dancing forth a 100m route as part of Sentosa's Island Lights party. Singapore's first Pikachu Parade was held in Changi Airport'southward Concluding three.
Other Pokemon-related events have also been held in Singapore. At that place were ii iterations of a Pokemon-themed fun run, with the first cartoon a crowd of almost vi,000 people, and also the first Pokemon Inquiry Exhibition exterior Japan, held at the Resorts World Sentosa's South.E.A. Aquarium in October 2016. A Pokemon pop-upward cafe also saw hundreds of visitors over its 2 runs in 2016.
On Wed, the Pokemon Centre Singapore at Precious stone Changi Airport officially opened its doors. The outlet - the first official merchandise shop outside of Nihon - stocks limited edition items exclusive to Singapore.
Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/pokemon-go-safari-zone-sentosa-sea-pikachu-lapras-unown-tropius-225066
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