Pokémon Go makers call for calm as servers crash across Europe and US

Pokémon Go servers crashed across Europe and the US on Saturday, as global demand for the hit mobile app soared in its first weekend since being launched in the UK.

Players in 26 countries took advantage of mostly good weather to venture outdoors to hunt and capture their first Pokémon creatures, with millions having downloaded the game in its first days since release.

The app, developed by Niantic and part-owned by Nintendo, calls on users to move around the real world, overlaying their normal landscape with an augmented reality that projects digital creatures on to the streets around them.

Confirming users’ difficulty accessing the game, Niantic said on its website: “Due to the incredible number of Pokémon GO downloads, some Trainers are experiencing server connectivity issues. Don’t worry, our team is on it!”