Game or life, which do you pick? Lately, nearly all social media are dominated by this theme-reviving game, Pokémon Go. Combined virtual, adorable Pokémon with reality, the game offers this brand new and high-tech experience that attracts many players. On the most recent SOAR Orientation for college freshmen at UNC Charlotte, the topic of Pokémon Go has already become a means for school faculty to entertain their audience when delivering speeches.
However, while the game has increased the market values for its company, Nintendo, by incredible $7.5 billion, people raise concerns for the safety of it. Autumn Deiseroth, 15, blamed the game for getting her hit by a car on the highway near Pitterburgh. According to Pokémon Go on her phone, Deiseroth had to cross the the 4-lane highway so she could slide her finger to throw a Pokeball and catch the Pokémon. Unforunately, due to her ignorance, at the intersection she got herself into a car accident. Although it was only luckily a minor injury, the 15-year-old teen has certainly learned her lesson with probably one step close to death.
Apparently, Deiseroth was not the only one who experienced the danger of mixing game with life. On July 17, two Pokemon Go players in Florida got themselves in trouble by trespassing other's front yard at 1:30 AM. The house occupant fired at their car for self-defense. Fortunately, nobody got hurt.
Another "survived" Redditor was followed by a creep when she tried to catch Pokémon on the streets at 5 AM. This teenage girl again luckily found a stranger who confronted the creep and protected her in the graveyard.
In Missouri, a group of teen robbers even used trickier way to take advantage of people. The three teens opened "Lure Module" on the APP, which attracts Pokémon at a Pokestop, to allegedly "lure" players to their location so they can rob these players. A 33-year-old man was said to be robbed by them.
These cases are only the tip of the iceberg -- there're still a lot more incidents related to the hottest game on smartphones. Individuals too easily let down their vigilance to pursue something virtual, getting so obsessed with the game that they started to neglect the latent danger around them, be it a busy highway or a kidnapper. Therefore, besides accidents happened due to carelessness, criminals take advantage of off-guarded people. Nobody had expected that crime and danger rates would rise with the release of Pokémon Go.
It is often said that cellphones are the gap between individuals. With this unprecedentedly popular game, the gap was not only widened, but distorted. Now with phones, quite a few of us can't distinguish the lives they have online or the lives they really have. It is true that you can build connection using social media, but what can you really benefit from Pokémon Go? Hours of wandering around? Moreover, even adults would rather put themselves in danger for Pikachu, let alone teenagers and children. Less able to protect themselves, the underage may face even more danger.
Games are supposed to be recreational and fun. Nonetheless, when misfortunes take place because of games, it is time for people to manage their time properly for them. Getting addicted to games is also a waste of time. People will really need to get back on track and start living again if they are way too obsessed with games. After all, none of us want to witness tragedies, not to mention those created by game addiction.
