Pokemon GO's IPL collaboration leaves Indian fans disappointed

Pokemon GO's latest collaboration with IPL has left many Indian players feeling underwhelmed. The announcement introduced special in-game stickers featuring two IPL teams, Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans, available from March 22, 2025, to May 25, 2025.

While this marks a rare partnership with an Indian sports league, fans were expecting more substantial rewards. All the discussions took place in u/Lyner005's Reddit post, which stated,

"Pokemon Go India's collaboration with IPL, nothing more than stickers"

Pokemon Go India's collaboration with IPL, nothing more than stickers byu/Lyner005 inTheSilphRoad

Pokemon GO has made recent efforts to cater to the Indian playerbase, including introducing Hindi language support and unique Pikachu variants inspired by local culture.

However, compared to other country-specific collaborations, Indian players believe they are receiving far less. The community has voiced its concerns, pointing out that collaborations in other regions often provide exclusive content beyond just stickers.

u/Lyner005 initially brought this issue to attention, pointing out that other games typically offer cosmetic items, such as outfits and weapon skins in collaborations, while Pokemon GO’s IPL partnership only includes stickers.

"Crazy how other games get outfits, gun skins and best we get is stickers."

Players have expressed frustration over what they see as a lackluster effort.

Other players echoed similar sentiments. u/CastleofWamdue noted that Pokemon GO has been making strides to grow its popularity in India, referencing past additions like language support and Indian-themed Pikachu.

Comment byu/Lyner005 from discussion inTheSilphRoad

They highlighted that this collaboration could have been India’s version of the MLB-themed Pikachu introduced in other regions, but it ultimately fell short.

Meanwhile, u/RevolutionaryFig9437 compared India’s collaboration to past partnerships in Japan and Korea, which introduced exclusive research tasks and unique spawns.

"Disappointing! Partnership gives Exclusive Research tasks such as Softbank, Family-Mart or unique spawns such as "Neighborhood Go Go Go" ( korea) or Active Lure modules(GameStop, McDonald's). All India gets is Stickers. Why is step-motherly treatment meted out to Indian trainers? Such a shame!"

However, u/Zanmorn countered this perspective, pointing out that India received a unique Pikachu and a regional bonus during the Festival of Colors event.

Comment byu/Lyner005 from discussion inTheSilphRoad

They acknowledged the partnership was lacking but suggested that some players might still appreciate the stickers, just as not everyone finds exclusive Lure Modules exciting.

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Pokemon GO's missed opportunities for a stronger IPL collaboration

Players think the event could have been more fruitful (Image via The Pokemon Company)

A partnership with the IPL had the potential to allow Pokemon GO to roll out valuable in-game content associated with one of India's largest sporting events. Rather than mere stickers, the tie-in could have included themed avatar accessories, special research assignments, or even temporary Pokemon encounters based on cricket.

Other tie-ins, like those with SoftBank in Japan or McDonald's in Korea, had special bonuses associated with them, which made the narrow focus of the IPL event all the more striking.

Given the scope of the IPL and the craze for cricket in India, a larger tournament with more interactive features could have served to increase Pokemon GO's popularity among Indians.

A Pikachu sporting an IPL-themed cap in the same vein as regional Pikachu forms have in the past could be a straightforward way to get involved. The omission of such moves makes the association seem off-key.

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Although the addition of IPL-themed stickers is a step forward in embracing Indian players, most feel that it is an uninspiring contribution compared to others in country-based collaborations.

The reaction from the community indicates that although Niantic has made progress in its recognition of Indian players, other collaborations would perform better if more exciting and rewarding content was shared.

With Pokemon GO's popularity even wider across the globe, Indian trainers can only hope for richer collaborations to come.

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