The insanely popular augmented reality game “Pokemon Go” enraptured numerous people around the world this past summer. Within a week of its release, “Pokemon Go” spread like wildfire and became the most downloaded app in Apple’s app store in addition to being installed in 5.1 percent of Androids in the United States within two days of its release.
First introduced by Nintendo in 1996, Pokemon are essentially collectible characters that users can use to hunt other Pokemon. Senior Kiernan Manu, a Pokemon enthusiast, explains “There will be Pokemon in your neighborhood and you either have to walk, bike, or drive to catch these Pokemon.” A radar on the app shows if the Pokemon is nearby or not, and once the user is close enough, the Pokemon will show up on the phone’s game screen. The user must then throw Pokeballs at the Pokemon in hopes of catching it. Once the user has exceeded level 5, he or she can join a team and take over gyms where users battle each other.
Originally intended as an April Fool’s joke in 2014, “Pokemon Go” first developed when Google released a video that incorporated Pokemon into Google Maps; the video rapidly became viral, pulling more than 18 million views. Due to the popularity of the video, the CEO of Niantic, an independent software development company that was then an internal startup within Google, hoped to turn this joke into a reality. Two years later, Niantic became independent from Google and released “Pokemon Go.”
Manu recounts how he has been a loyal fan of all things Pokemon since he was 5 years old. “I played Pokemon Gold and Silver, the second generation of Pokemon that came out a while ago. From there, I’ve bought every single game since then. Of course with this new release I was super excited because it was throwback to the first generation which I never really got to play, and the visuals are also great and it’s a great way to get active. Augmented reality is fascinating.”
“Pokemon Go” also adds a special social element. Freshman Lydia Manu states, “It’s a fun way to just get together with friends and family and go out to enjoy all this scenery while possibly meeting others who are also Pokemon hunting.”
“Pokemon Go” utilizes augmented reality, a concept dating back to the 1970s that uses computer-generated sensory input such as graphics and sound to augment a live view of the real-world environment. Now, augmented reality has become popular enough for millions of people to be able to experience AR in the palm of their hands. Users no longer have to wait for the effects on their TV, as the arrival of computers and smartphones are much more powerful and efficient.
Junior Soleia Sano was curious about the Pokemon hype, and decided to experience it herself. “I wanted to see what everyone was going crazy over to see if it really was that great,” she says. Sano says she enjoys how the game makes her move around and get exercise, like when she has to go to a Pokestop, a place where restock items like Pokeballs, potions, eggs.
Similarly, senior Geneca Licuanan originally intended to dip her toes in the water, but it quickly became more than just an experiment. “I only watched the anime a few times so I wasn’t some like major Pokemon fan, but I liked playing it. I started playing because I wanted to see what the hype was about. It became addicting! I couldn’t stop until I caught all the ones nearby.” Licuanan has caught a total of 220 Pokemon.
Although it is a fun game to play and pass time with, there have been reported accidents involving the highly popular game.
A teenage girl in July was reportedly catching Pokemon by the street when she was hit by a car. Due to accidents like this, it raises awareness of safety when engaging in a game that is found to be so addictive by many of its users. The game could additionally serve to be problematic in a classroom environment and for teachers at large, as it can distract students from schoolwork and even homework at home, as students can choose to be out catching Pokemon instead of reviewing for a test. However, there are no Pokestops or gyms at Aragon.
“Pokemon Go” and its concept of augmented reality have attracted a worldwide audience. News stations often broadcast videos of mass groups of people in parks around the world catching Pokemon together, and as of July, it is estimated that there are 21 million daily users. All in all, “Pokemon Go” seemed like a beneficial method of keeping students busy during their summer break.
