The Pokémon franchise first debuted in 1996 as a Game Boy game in which players gathered imaginary creatures (Pokémon) and then used them to battle against other Pokémon trainers for points. Now, not only can Pokémon be played on the Game Boy and with trading cards, but it can also be played on any mobile device.
The highly popular Pokémon Go app accesses user’s GPS systems and cameras to locate “Pokémon” in the real world at locations called “PokéStops.” These “PokéStops” have been strategically placed all over the world, and can be found in parks, near restaurants or (for a while) even inside the Bell Tower on campus. After catching Pokémon, players can train them and use them to battle with other players in “Pokémon Gyms.” The goal of the game is to catch all 151 Pokémon.
Pokémon Go was first released in July 2016, and soon became the fastest app to reach the top of the App Store and Google Play charts. According to SensorTower, an app analysis platform, Pokémon Go has been downloaded over 75 million times worldwide since its release.
However, the massive Pokémon Go craze has come with a lot of unexpected benefits. Rather than staying inside and staring at a computer monitor, Pokémon Go players have to physically move around outside in order to locate and capture Pokémon. Players are now taking long walks outside to get to the PokéStops. Many companies have benefitted from the increased foot traffic around their businesses due to these PokéStops. Locations such as the Morikami Museum in Boca Raton and Sawgrass Mills Mall have gained new visitors thanks to Pokémon Go.
Pokémon Go is a highly successful app with a strong social impact. With its unique features and strong fan base, it will likely be the talk of the town for quite some time.
