If you’re trying to play the new Niantic game, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, you might either not see the game show up at all in the Apple App Store or the Google Play store, or if you go from a direct link you might see a message that reads: “Not Available In Your Country.” Many people are confused by this because they thought the game was being released worldwide today. Here’s what that error message means.
First, for some parts of the world, the rollout is happening a lot later than expected. It turns out the game is not being released everywhere in the world today after all. It was released in the United States a day early, but it’s not available everywhere yet. Today, the game is being rolled out the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Other countries are going to see the game “in the coming weeks.”
The *only* bright side to #WizardsUnite being released only in US and UK is that, hopefully, all server errors and game glitches *may* be ironed out for a wider release.
Regardless, me in a thirld world country and the game not available here yet:
HPWU’s Twitter message reads: “The worldwide rollout of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite has officially begun! Download today in the US, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and stay tuned for more details as the rollout continues in the coming weeks!”
The worldwide rollout of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite has officially begun! Download today in the US, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and stay tuned for more details as the rollout continues in the coming weeks! #WizardsUnite t.co/hG1DOFoQUT
One alert player noticed on Reddit that the Facebook and Instagram posts for Harry Potter: Wizards Unite was changed to say “the coming days” rather than “the coming weeks” for the rest of the world. But the Twitter message still says weeks.
Some people in the United States and other countries, however, are still seeing this error message even though it is released in their country.
Is anyone in the UK on android able to get #WizardsUnite? Just telling me it’s not available in my country? It’s like being 11 with no Hogwarts letter all over again.
For some Android players, this could be because your phone isn’t compatible with the game. Yes, sometimes the message is misleading and you’ll see that it’s “not available” just because your phone can’t run the game. Heavy has a detailed story here about which phones are compatible and which are not. There are actually a surprising number of Android phones that aren’t compatible with HPWU.
Some players are downloading APK files for the game if they get the “not available” error. Of course, you have to be careful to make sure you’re downloading a genuine APK. And if the game really isn’t available in your country, then the APK won’t help much because you won’t have any creatures to catch or fortresses, inns, or greenhouses nearby. Also, be wary of using an APK. With Pokemon Go, some players who were playing via a downloaded APK were later banned. So this might not be a risk worth taking.
You might also try making sure the OS and all relevant software on your phone are updated. It’s possible that a compatible phone that isn’t fully updated might show the error message.
If you’re still having a problem and you’re using a compatible phone in a region where the game is available, consider emailing support and asking for help.
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Harry Potter Wizards Unite: Meaning of ‘Not Available in Your Country’ Error