It may seem odd to think that it has been nearly six months since the COVID-19 pandemic became a fixture of everyday life. Despite most aspects of daily living slowly moving back to normality, the virus is still very much a factor across various industries. Since February, The Pokemon Company has been dealing with the pandemic with its most recent measure being to temporarily shutdown a beloved store.
The Pokemon Company confirmed that the Pokemon Center in Hiroshima is closing as of today, August 16. The official Japanese Pokemon Twitter account announced this measure as a precaution due to an employee within the branch testing positive for COVID-19.
The Hiroshima Pokemon Center, which opened in 2015 and has Shiny Gyarados as its mascot, will remain closed indefinitely according to the post. The store has become a necessary visit for any Pokemon fan the world over when travelling to Japan. It is one of the 14 Pokemon Centers scattered around the country and is considered one of the best according to visitors. However, Japan is not the only country to hold an entire store dedicated to one of Nintendo’s most successful franchises.
Last year saw a new expansion for the store chain when a Pokemon Center opened in London in celebration of the Pokemon Sword and Shield launch. The timing was likely due to the connection of Pokemon Sword and Shield‘s Galar region being based on the UK in terms of geography and style.
The Pokemon Center of Hiroshima closing is another reminder that the COVID-19 pandemic is still very much ongoing and still affects the gaming industry through numerous avenues. The pandemic caused the delay of numerous games earlier this year and continues the domino effect as more studios adapt to remote work. Square Enix confirmed that while Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 is in active development, COVID-19 has impacted the project as more staff work from home.
While the pandemic has hit the Pokemon Company in certain ways, it has also served as a means for boosting player engagement. Gamers pondered how Pokemon GO would adapt to mandates of lockdown variations across the globe with some speculating that players would drop away from the game. Yet, the mobile game has seen a massive resurgence in investment as Pokemon GO is having a record breaking year in 2020 despite the pandemic.
For Pokemon fans in Hiroshima, it is unknown when they will be able to visit the Pokefan’s paradise, which features a long range of Pokemon items.
Source: Translation via NintendoSoup
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