I don’t play a lot ofPokemon Goany more.

However,I still love loading up the game when I’m abroad.

Pokemon Go is banned here.

Chappell Roan dressed as Joan of Arc for SNL.

That didn’t deter me from completing my cool collection of foreign monsters, though.

In fact, it made me more determined than ever before.

Why Is Pokemon Go Banned In China?

Sandygast next to Golett’s PokeDex screen from Pokemon Go.

The Great Firewall of China stops Chinese people here from using certain Western websites due to government meddling.

Facebook (Meta) is out, which means no WhatsApp or Instagram either.

Google is a no-go, too, ruling out my go-to translation and navigation apps.

Kingambit next to Shiny Nidoking’s catch screen from Pokemon Go.

Pokemon Go is banned alongside these major US companies.

There’s also Niantic CEO John Hanke’s background.

It’s a risk that China, understandably, doesn’t want to take.

shiny Pikachu wearing an explorer hat over a map of China

Google Maps did not.

Pokemon Go loaded right up.

This map, while existing and loading, was completely empty.

Image of Voltorb and several Hisuian Voltorb next to Professor Willow.

No PokeStops, no Gyms, no Team Rocket balloons, and, most importantly, no Pokemon spawns.

I didn’t get my daily spawn.

Incense gave me nothing.

Image of people around a Pokemon Go Raid with the text “Together We Raid."

My daily research tasks refreshed, but only rewarded berries for the duration of trip.

Stuck again, I decided to change cities.

While work took me to Hangzhou, I needed to fly on to Japan from Shanghai.

Image of Ekans with a gold, circular border around it, and a red background.

I’d read rumours online that there were some cities in China where Pokemon Go worked.

Shanghai looked the same as Hangzhou.

An empty map, bereft of PokeStops.

Image of Attack Forme, Normal Forme, Defense Forme, and Speed Forme Deoxys.

Ekans, I figured, asChinese New Yearfast approached to usher in the Year of the Snake.

They could be anywhere, but they wereLiverpool or Rome.

I told you it had been a long time since I logged in.

Pokemon fighting against a dragon from Monster Hunter

When checking my research tasks for the 72nd time, a new timed research popped up.

Go Battle Weekend had started.

The research didn’t reward any encounters, butGo Battle Leaguedoes.

Live-Service Games

And there it was.

My only chance to catch a Chinese Pokemon.

I threw a Poke Ball.

Pokemon Go

My quest was over.

I had a Chinese Pokemon.

I would have preferred a Pancham or something more thematic, but beggars can’t be choosers.

Niantic

It was a hard-fought battle, but I succeeded in my quest to catch a Chinese Pokemon.

I can’t tell if that’s cooler than saying Shanghai or not.

Whether the game says so or not, I know that this little guy is my Chinese buddy.

At the end of the day, that’s all that matters really.