Pokemon Go Takes the World by Storm
by Kim Bussing – August 2, 2016
A few weeks ago, if you saw someone wandering
around your neighborhood staring at their phone, you
might have assumed they were lost. Now, it would not
be too much of a stretch to think that they are busy
locating, capturing, battling or training fictional
creatures called Pokémon. Welcome to Pokémon Go,
the free-to-play location-based augmented reality
game that has taken the world by storm since its
release on July 6. For those that are unfamiliar with
the Pokémon brand and wondering what the latest
hoopla is all about, here is a brief rundown.
Pokémon first emerged in 1995 as a Nintendo video game. Through the decades, it has grown
into a massive franchise, which includes trading card games, animated movies and television
shows, toys, and comics. While popular, it was primarily aimed at children and nostalgic adults
who played the game when they were young. Ironically, the idea of creating the augmented
reality game that has made Pokémon a household name came from an April Fool’s joke.
On April 1, 2014, Google Inc. announced “Pokémon Masters,” an app that would allow people to
hunt the monsters using Google Maps. Though just a prank, the ensuing enthusiasm caught the
attention of San Francisco-based startup Niantic Labs and its founder, John Hanke. The team,
whose first augmented reality mobile app game, Ingress, has been downloaded more than 12
million times, decided to turn Google’s prank into a reality by partnering with Nintendo to create
Pokémon Go.
Similar to previous Pokémon games, players travel the world to capture and battle the monsters
in their quest to become the greatest Pokémon trainers. However, while the trips in the previous
games were imaginary and conducted within the confines of a room, Pokémon Go forces players
to get off their chairs and venture outside. That’s because the game uses the phone’s GPS and
camera to help players “find” Pokemon in the real world, as well as discover various landmarks
or Pokéstops, which offer items and experience points. This could mean finding a Rattata in your
backyard, a Pidgey around the block, or a Pokéstop at your favorite neighborhood ice cream
parlor.
The Pokémon are usually themed around
the area they appear — for instance,
players might find water Pokémon near
rivers and lakes or ghost-type Pokémon
around graveyards. The game itself
involves just a single player trying to
build the biggest collection of Pokémon.
However, thanks to the fact that
hundreds of fans often converge to
areas and landmarks with Pokémon or
Pokéstops at the same time, the game is
also giving fans a chance to meet up
with like-minded gamers and make new
friends. An added advantage? It makes
exercising fun!
Bussing, K. (2016, August 2). Poemon Go Takes The World By Storm. DOGO News. Retrieved August 27, 2016, from
http://www.dogonews.com/2016/8/2/pokemon-go-takes-the-world-by-storm
Pokemon Go Takes the World by Storm
by Kim Bussing – August 2, 2016
But entertaining as it is, experts do caution players to be cognizant of their surroundings as they
scour the neighborhoods to catch the imaginary monsters. The game has already resulted in some
serious injuries, and the numbers can only increase as additional people join the fray. An
additional issue has been an increase in trespassing, as players seek to capture Pokémon in
neighbors’ yards, or even in places where gameplay is inappropriate, such as funerals or the
Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC.
However, these concerns have not affected Pokémon Go’s popularity yet. Less than a month after
its launch in the US, the game has reportedly been downloaded over 75 million times, and people
are spending more time playing it than going on Twitter or Facebook.
In fact, Pokémon Go, which has yet to debut in many countries around the world, has far
exceeded Niantic’s expectations, and the unprecedented demand is causing the company servers
to crash frequently. While Hanke and his team can surmount the technology issues, the bigger
challenge they face is introducing new features that help maintain the game’s viral success.
Meanwhile, critics are calling Pokémon Go a temporary phenomenon that will end within months,
if not weeks. Fans, on the other hand, think the game is just the beginning of a long-term
movement! What do you believe? Be sure to let us know by adding your comments below.
RESOURCES: THEGUARDIAN.CO.UK, CNN.COM, WIKIPEDIA.ORG, TECHCHRUNCH.COM,FORBES.COM
Comprehension Questions
1) What is Pokemon Go? Identify as least three (3) descriptive characteristics.
2) When was the app launched?
3) When and how did the Pokemon brand first get its start?
4) List examples of ancillary (i.e., related) products that were added to the Pokemon franchise.
5) What major company has (mistakenly) received credit for the Pokemon Go app? Why?
6) Describe how the reality game determines which characters to place in various locations.
7) List two major concerns – and sometimes crimes – that have emerged as a result.
8) Identify an example of a business or landmark where game play might be inappropriate.
9) How many users downloaded the Pokemon Go app in the first month?
10) What is the app developer’s strategy for maintaining the game’s viral success?
Bussing, K. (2016, August 2). Poemon Go Takes The World By Storm. DOGO News. Retrieved August 27, 2016, from
http://www.dogonews.com/2016/8/2/pokemon-go-takes-the-world-by-storm