'Pokémon Go' goes down after European launch

Those Saturday plans to track down Pikachu may have to wait.

The creators of the hit mobile game Pokémon Go said Saturday they are working to resolve server issues making it unable for users to play the game. "Thank you for your patience," reads a statement on the game's Twitter page.

The technical problems arrive after studio Niantic Labs launched a major European expansion to its blockbuster game. It's now available in 26 additional countries, including Austria, Norway and Sweden.

Pokémon Go is currently available in a handful of countries worldwide, including the U.S., U.K. and Germany. It's still not available in Asia, most notably Japan, a key market for the classic video game and TV franchise.

The likely reason for the down servers is the meteoric rise in the game's popularity. It officially entered phenomenon status earlier this week, as countless players explored landmarks and other spots across the U.S. in search of the "pocket monsters."

A beginner's guide to 'Pokémon Go'

Pokémon Go uses GPS and augmented reality, allowing players to feel like they're collecting and capturing Pokémon in the real world.

Pokémon Go has achieved unprecedented success in the mobile games market. According to research from SurveyMonkey, the game is being downloaded in the U.S. at an average of 4-5 million times a day, while the game's average revenue per daily active user is double that for casual games.

'Pokémon Go' seeks to cash in on frenzy

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.