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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Helen Davidson and Chi Hui Lin in Taipei, photographs by An Rong Xu

Pokémon still going: Taiwan’s love affair with the game the world forgot

Pokemon Go Safari at Da’an Forest Park, in Taipei.
The three-day Pokémon Go Safari event attracted fans to Da’an Forest Park in Taipei. Photograph: An Rong Xu/The Guardian

We can’t show you Tsai’s face. The 52-year-old is busily swiping away at six phones in a custom-built usher-style tray. Charging cords snake off into a backpack full of powerbanks. The elaborate setup is designed to maximise his Pokémon Go experience, ensuring he’s always in hunt-mode.

Tsai started in 2016 with just one phone, but says six is the perfect number to avoid waiting for his device to process all the “boring” bells and whistles each time he catches one of the virtual creatures.

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