More than a million people in Moscow are playing "Pokemon Go," the mobile game that's dominating download charts in three dozen countries. The number is especially impressive because the game isn't supposed to be available in Russia.
Despite attempts by app developer Niantic Inc. to manage global demand, fans in Russia and elsewhere have taken special steps to track down and install "Pokemon Go" before it's released officially, a process that sometimes involves tricking their phones into thinking they live in another country. Russian carrier Mobile TeleSystems PJSC estimates that 1.37 million people are playing "Pokemon Go" on major wireless networks in Moscow, a more than sevenfold increase from a week ago.
Corporate giants in Russia are trying to capture some of the excitement and drive people into their stores. VimpelCom Ltd., the country's third-biggest mobile carrier, said retail staff will teach customers how to get around region blocks to download the game. Sberbank PJSC, the country's largest financial lender, has purchased items in the app to lure the game's creatures to locations near 29 branches in large cities, boosting traffic of younger clients looking to catch 'em all.