RIYADH: The official launch of Pokemon Go in Saudi Arabia has brought together a community of gamers who have embraced their inner child while competing and connecting in a world of nostalgic adventure.

Pokemon Go is an augmented reality game that creates an immersive experience of a world where human beings co-exist with colorful creatures with otherworldly superpowers, known as Pokemon.

The game, launched internationally in 2016, uses GPS to track movement and invites players to travel to real-world locations to catch Pokemon and battle with others.

A local gaming group, “Pokemon Go Saudi,” has created a lively community with members from Riyadh and the Eastern Province who have a shared love of the game.

Maan Al-Qurashi, one of the community leaders at Pokemon Go Saudi, told Arab News that the game holds a special place in his heart because he has played different versions for more than 20 years.

“Pokemon accompanied me in all stages of my life, from childhood to teenager, and still is a part of my daily life after marriage. Hopefully, I will pass down the same passion to my kids.”

Al-Qurashi said Pokemon Go Saudi began with 10 members in 2017, after the international launch of the game.

Today, the community comprises a diverse group of 500 members from all age groups who have made lasting friendships with their Pokemon partners. As a team, they go on adventures, train to improve their skills, and battle in friendly competitions.

Al-Qurashi said that it is more than a game. It is a community that fosters growth and friendship.

“Multiple in-person activities and relationships have been linked to Pokemon Go. For example, the daily routine is not only going to work and staying with family, it includes playing Pokemon Go even if it’s for a few minutes during the day or an hour or so.”

Last week, more than 5,000 Pokemon Go fans gathered at Boulevard City to celebrate the official launch of the Saudi application. Omar Tellez, vice president at Niantic, said that the event was the largest Pokemon Go event of its kind in the region to date.

“Seeing the joy of the thousands of attendees, of all ages, has been such a delight. The success of today’s event is a testament to the popularity of Pokemon Go here in the Kingdom. The community has really responded.”

Fans from more than 20 countries around the globe registered at the event.

“It’s been incredible to see them unite to catch some of their favorite Pokemon and enjoy their time together in person. That’s what our game is all about.

“We have loved seeing their passion and excitement firsthand – whether through cheering on their teams during the PvP battles, or celebrating that iconic button-press moment — or join forces to catch Mewtwo as the legendary Pokemon took over the Boulevard Screens. The atmosphere was truly something special,” Tellez said.

Saudi Arabia is experiencing incredible growth in gaming with more than 67 percent of the population — more than 23.5 million people — being passionate gamers, Tellez said.

“We are excited to welcome many of them into our global trainers community, and we know this event is just the start of our adventure together as we create new experiences and ways for them to connect here in KSA.”

Today, more than 100 million people play Pokemon Go every year in more than 150 countries and regions, making for more than a billion downloads. Trainers have walked more than 8 billion kilometers collectively while playing the game.

DUBAI: The Saudi National Orchestra and Choir is on a mission to build a bridge between the Kingdom and the rest of the world, one musical collaboration at a time. 

Having already performed its musical showcase “Marvels of Saudi Orchestra” in Paris, Mexico City, New York and London, the orchestra will perform at Tokyo Opera City on Nov. 22.  

The evening’s performance will feature the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir performing alongside Japan’s Gagaku Orchestra Imperial Court Music and the Orchestra Academy of Tokyo College of Music. The collaborative program will showcase traditional Saudi pieces and classical Japanese music. Renowned Japanese guitarist Hotei will also deliver a special guest performance. 

In an interview with Arab News, Saudi Music Commission CEO Paul Pacifico attributed the idea of taking the Saudi orchestra on a world tour to Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, and cited a dual purpose behind the program. 

“The first opportunity is international. It’s about taking the best of Saudi culture to the world and showing the world what Saudi culture is about. Most people around the world haven’t heard Saudi music, so this is a new experience,” Pacifico said. 

“The second part of this is about showing Saudi people how Saudi culture can be received worldwide, and how Saudi music can take its place on any of the world’s greatest stages with the world’s greatest cultural organizations. And really to take pride in seeing Saudi culture celebrated and validated in that way,” he added. 

Composed and arranged by Saudi Arabian maestro Rami Bashih with the support of Japanese maestro Hirofumi Yoshida, the Tokyo performance is an ode to Japanese and Saudi musical traditions. 

“I hope this performance will deepen the Tokyo audience’s understanding of different cultures through music and serve as a catalyst for building new cultural ties between Saudi Arabia and Japan. This concert brings together distinct musical cultures on a single stage, offering the audience a valuable experience to see music and culture from a fresh perspective,” Yoshida told Arab News. 

“In the first and second parts of the program, the audience will enjoy a contrast between Saudi Arabia’s traditional music and the ancient Japanese court music, gagaku. In the third part, they will experience cultural harmony through a joint performance by musicians from both countries,” he continued. 

Both the Japanese and Saudi orchestras have had to rehearse online ahead of the big day. 

“The Saudi Music Commission and Japan’s Rising Sun Opera Foundation have held numerous remote meetings and organized advance visits from the Saudi side to prepare for this event in detail. We shared musical ideas online and made every effort to maximize our limited rehearsal time. Remote collaboration has been a new challenge, but by sharing a strong passion for music, we’ve been able to overcome the distance and foster meaningful cooperation,” said Yoshida. 

Yoshida is no stranger to Saudi Arabia, either. In 2017, he led the first performance by a full Japanese orchestra in the Kingdom. 

“I was deeply impressed by the enthusiastic applause, especially from young people, after each piece. Feeling the energy in the hall, I became certain that culture and the arts would flourish in Saudi Arabia in the near future. This experience showed me the potential for Saudi musical culture to continue growing and be shared with even more people around the world,” he said. 

For Pacifico, the opportunity to take Saudi music to yet another cultural capital is exciting. 

“There are so many rich collaborations in all of these cultures that we visited and hope to visit — whether that was the Carlos Chavez Orchestra in Mexico City, the Dizzy Gillespie All Stars in New York, or the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London, every time we make a stop, we look to collaborate with the best cultural ambassadors from that city. And the cities haven’t let us down,” said Pacifico. “They’ve really exceeded our expectations. And, again, in two ways: the way the musicians have blended together and the audience reaction — how welcoming people have been, how interested and culturally curious to discover Saudi music, and the feedback has been incredible. 

“So much of what we do is about programs, KPIs… the technical work of government. But ‘Marvels of Saudi Orchestra’ brings it to a very human level. It’s about people connecting, and it’s that human connection that stands out to me,” he continued. “That’s what surprises and delights me each time that we’ve done this, and I’m sure will continue to do so.”