It goes without saying that the last couple of years have been hard onPokemon GOfans. Not only did the COVID-19 pandemic go on for way longer than was initially suspected,limiting the players ability to go outside and play, but it didn’t even settle down properly before a new crisis struck: the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
While most of the world isn’t directly embroiled in this conflict,Pokemon GOplayers from countries near Russia and Ukraine, in particular, are now having an even harder time than ever before, with some players not being able to log in for quite a long while now, worrying their online friends. One UkrainianGOplayer, however, seems to have made it out safely after all.
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WhilePokemon GOshut down in Russia and Belarus, Ukrainian players still have full access to the game, and some of them seem to still be playing. In fact, one of them is Reddit user Roosterboogers' friend, who had been missing from the community ever since the invasion began. Thankfully, Roosterboogers recently reported that their friend seems to be alive, logging mileage intoPokemon GOjust as they used to.
Roosterboogers' post spurred a lot of conversation in the community, with numerousPokemon GOplayers saying how their Ukrainian friends have begun to appear online once more following weeks of inactivity. Some users even mentioned that they’ve begun to receive gifts from Ukraine, suggesting that the situation may have eased up in some regions. An entirely different story is coming from the invaders' side, asvideo game piracy is legalized in Russiafollowing sanctions.
The Pokemon Company released a statement on Ukraineearly on alongside a sizable charity donation. There, the company described the conflict as “heartbreaking,” and pledged to work with GlobalGiving to provide humanitarian relief where possible. It’s still worth remembering that the fighting is far from over, though media reports indicate that Russian forces may have retreated to the eastern region of Ukraine.
As the war rages on, the fact that some Ukrainian players have logged back on suggests that they may still have the chance to join in on some ofPokemon GO’s May 2022 events, and reconnect with the community at large.
Pokemon GOis out now for iOS and Android mobile devices.
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