Pokémon Go launches in Rio in time for the Olympic Games

Could Pokémon Go characters soon be found in and around Brazil's famous Redeemer landmark? Credit: Reuters/Pokémon Go

Pokémon Go, the phenomenon that has taken much of the world by storm, has launched in Rio just in time for the Olympic Games.

In a Facebook post, the game's creators urged fans to "break out the sneakers and Poké Balls, and get ready to explore the world around you".

Could Pokémon Go characters soon be found around Brazil's famous Redeemer landmark?

US radio presenter and former American Idol host Ryan Seacrest was one of the first to go searching in Rio, finding an Eevee as he had dinner.

French swimmer and three-time Olympic medallist Yannick Agnel also went in search for a Pikachu or two.

Meanwhile, Canadian canoe and kayak slalom athlete Michael Taylor tweeted a picture of his team-mate Cameron Smedley lying on his bed in the company of a Pidgey.

The game's launch will no doubt have been well received by Team GB slalom canoeist Joe Clarke, who expressed his dismay at not being able to catch any creatures in Brazil, last week.