"Pokémon GO" is finally here! And with the latest free mobile game came a craze that has been unparalleled by any other application, including the very popular "Candy Crush" and Tinder. Developed by Niantic and published by The Pokémon Company, "Pokémon GO" is a location-oriented augmented reality mobile game that allows players to catch, train, evolve and battle Pokémon. The game was released for iOS and Android devices. Despite some minor game glitches and incidents of people not paying attention and hurting themselves, the players of this game have reported some really neat perks in the first week of its release.
1. It is getting people outside and exercising.
"Pokémon GO" is unique compared to other phone apps in that to get the most out of the game and level up faster, you ideally need to be outside. Walking around lets you find more Pokémon and places to get items and train. There is also a corner at the bottom of the screen that shows you how far you are from certain Pokémon, which is encouraging people to walk until they get closer and closer in hopes of catching one that they want. On top of a little extra Vitamin D, some researchers believe going outside and being around nature have anti-stress benefits in addition to the perks of exercising.
2. It is aiding some players who are mentally ill.
People who suffer from anxiety, depression and agoraphobia can have a difficult time doing things that people without these illnesses don't, including leaving the house. This game has immediately managed to be a catalyst to get players who suffer from these illnesses to go outside which, for some, can be a big step. This has potential to be a tool for people with mental illnesses like this to retrain their brains and how they react to being outside. This could be very therapeutic for some individuals, providing even more desire by the individual to leave the house and opening up more opportunities for them.
3. It is bringing people together.
Regardless of age, race, sexual preference, religion, and other factors that can separate humans, gamers of all shapes and forms are coming together in the quest to catch them all. Often people will find themselves at the same area as other players to battle a gym or get some free items. It is fairly easy to tell who is playing, too, since the game requires walking, phone use and the occasional vertical swipe to throw a ball. On top of that, people will randomly stop and then keep walking or congregate in a certain area like a PokéStop or gym. Also, if someone's volume is on, that can give away that a person is playing the game. This game is providing complete strangers with something they have in common; and with this, a community is developing, even with the three main teams.
4. It is bringing people to new places.
People have been exploring more of the world we live in which is great, especially when compared to other games which usually require you to stay inside. People are also going to places they normally wouldn't go to to catch different kinds of Pokémon. Given, this isn't always a good thing, but there have been positive reports from it, like one about people finding and rescuing abandoned animals that they found because they were playing. Someone even found a body while playing which, although horribly morbid, has allowed authorities to take over, and family and friends can put them to rest.
5. It is bringing more people to local businesses.
Many businesses are near gyms and Pokéstops. For those that are near Pokéstops, many have been having great success just by simply using a "lure," which is an item that attracts more Pokemon, and therefore, players since the location of the lure shows up on the map. These can be obtained in the game for free by playing and leveling up, or they can be purchased in the game as cheap as $1.19 per hour according to this site. This is a very affordable tool that businesses have been taking advantage of and it is increasing their sales, benefiting local business. It will be interesting to see as this game progresses and develops if a feature will be added to allow someone to make a certain address, like a local business, a Pokéstop or a gym, if it isn't one already.
6. It can be highly entertaining.
Another perk is that this game is a great new form of entertainment. Despite the glitches that are still getting worked out like occasional freezing, this game is highly interactive and rewards you as you progress. As you level up, you not only get more items which help you get more Pokémon, but you also are able to stumble upon more and rarer Pokémon that have higher stats and are therefore better to battle with. You can personalize the game as well. You begin by choosing a username and personalizing your avatar and their outfit. You can also change the name of each Pokémon you catch. In addition to this, it is highly entertaining to be someone watching other people play. There are already many hilarious viral videos spreading around of people trying to catch Pokémon or ranting about their experience with the game. There are also very funny pictures of the strange places people are catching them.
7. It can be social.
This game is one that, although you are individually playing, other people play at the same time as you. Players are going out with friends to do this and are then running into more people they may already know who are also playing. It gives groups an activity to do while hanging out with each other. In cities, it is also sparking large events. In Boston, for example, there are Facebook events where players can meet up and go around playing. There is even a "Pokémon GO" Bar Crawl event. This means that everyone who is playing is a potential acquaintance.
8. It can aid with nostalgia.
This game brings back lots of memories for those of us who watched the show, had the cards, played with the figurines, went to the Pokémon store in New York and played the Nintendo DS games when we were younger. Although there are still Pokémon games being released — "Sun" and "Moon" will be released November 18 of this year for the Nintendo 3DS console — this game especially tugs at the heartstrings by letting you go out and "see" the Pokémon in front of you, letting you be in charge of throwing the ball yourself once you've found one. It gives the player an increased feeling of agency in relation to the catching process, making them feel like the trainer who really can, and is absolutely determined to, catch them all.
