Credit: Singapore Tourism Board

Fans of Pokemon Go can visit up to 300 new Pokestops and Gyms at tourist establishments across the island from Thursday (Nov 12).

These new locations are the latest additions to the augmented reality game, following a tie-up between the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Niantic, the American developer behind the popular mobile game.

Their one-year partnership, announced by the STB on Thursday, is part of the SingapoRediscovers campaign launched in July this year to support local businesses.

The augmented reality game first arrived in Singapore in 2016 and it involves catching monsters that can be reached only by travelling to physical locations and collecting items at virtual pit stops known as Pokestops.

The new stops in the mobile game, also called Pogo, can be found at hotels, retailers and local attractions as well as food and beverage outlets.

They are also located at tour ticketing stations in 10 areas, including Changi, Chinatown, Joo Chiat and Mandai.

The stops will have an in-app banner that links to the SingpoRediscovers microsite, which showcases ongoing promotions.

Special raids featuring “rare Pokemon” will also be scheduled in some areas, said STB.

An STB spokesman told The Straits Times that these raids will be of Tier-5 difficulty, which can require more than eight players.

“Raids” refer to battles where gamers collaborate to nab powerful and coveted virtual monsters, often attracting massive crowds.

Last April, thousands of Pogo fans flocked to Sentosa for South-east Asia’s first Pokemon Go Safari event, which also featured raids.

About 125,000 visitors signed up for the five-day affair, which allowed players to catch virtual monsters exclusive to the region.

Mindful of safe distancing restrictions, STB has notified its safe distancing ambassadors and other government agencies about the ongoing event.

Participating tourism businesses have also been advised to observe safe management measures for public health and safety reasons, it added.

Text: Ang Qing/ The Straits Times