TOKYO, July 20 — It was the only thing on Japanese gamers’ minds early today.

But right when excitement was at fever pitch, Nintendo hit pause on the rollout of Pokemon Go.

There were reports that the app’s launch in Japan was due today.

But according to website TechCrunch, developers cancelled the rollout after emails leaked from the game’s first serious sponsor, McDonald’s Japan.

The news is a big blow for fans in Pokemon’s homeland, who have been waiting for weeks to play the game.

It’s also a setback for the 3,000 McDonald’s outlets lined up to be battle arenas known as Pokemon Gyms.

The deal with McDonald’s is more than just a tie-up; it’s a serious test of the app’s ad dollar potential, driving real-world foot traffic to the Golden Arches in search of virtual monsters.

Today’s marks another delay for Pokemon Go in the brand’s birthplace.

The Japan release got pushed back when developers became worried that their servers couldn’t take a massive spike in traffic on top of heavy strain from the US and Europe.

No word yet on a new release date, but Japanese newswire Nikkei says it could come as soon as tomorrow. — Reuters