You see, I was never much of a Pokémon gal. I preferred pushing my baby dolls in a stroller, pretending GI Joe was a Ken doll, and dressing myself up as a princess. I left the Pokémon collecting to my younger brother — who filled binders full of both Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh cards. That was until Pokémon Go was released on July 6, 2016, and now I simply need to "Catch 'Em All!"
Now unfortunately, I do not quite understand all the official Pokémon lingo like CP's and evolution or the benefits of selling my precious Weedles, but I am quite proud of Niantic for developing a game with so many benefits. The game allows you to discover hundreds of Pokémon in your very own world! It encourages exploration of nearby cities and towns. Pokémon Go is fostering quite a community within the USA and is quickly being released and gaining popularity throughout the world. The game has captured the attention of not only Pokémon fanatics and super-fans, but also those who were otherwise not interested or even unaware of Pokémon's existence. It is uniting groups of people who may have never had a common interest before.
As a firm believer in getting outdoors and exercising, I am pleased with Pokémon's choice to publish a game in which physical movement is required to play. The video gaming community is notorious for spending hours indoors striving to beat level after level. By creating a game involving physical movement and exploration, Pokémon is abolishing this habit of avid gamers and enticing them to be outside. The July release date allows for a large population to participate throughout summer vacation. According to, NEWSFIX.com, the number of active users of Pokémon Go has surpassed the number of users of both Tinder and Instagram and is rapidly approaching the proud number of users that Twitter boasts on the daily. By requiring users to walk around to discover new Pokémon it encourages physical activity. The lack of physical activity in the United States is one of the many reasons for the high levels of obesity. Simply walking 30 minutes to one hour each day CAN and WILL make an enormous difference, even if it is to catch a CP 200 Clefairy or hatch an egg that requires you to walk 10.0 km.
Another asset of Pokémon Go is the location of the Pokémon themselves: Pokémon Stops and Pokémon Gyms. Many stops and gyms are located at local small businesses, museums and memorials. I enjoy and support the promotion of small businesses and I am glad that Pokémon is doing so. I am hopeful that the Pokémon Stops will entice users to stop by local businesses that they may never have discovered before the game's release. However, I am also hopeful that the businesses will receive the respect that they deserve. I believe the same holds true for local memorials. I wish that users will be respectful of the memorials purpose and will take the time to honor the cause as they stumble upon them.
Just this past weekend, while on vacation in Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire, we discovered a Pokémon Stop at the American Police Motorcycle Museum. We were lured to the location by the gameplay but ultimately ended up inside, supporting a great cause and seeing some totally awesome motorcycles along the way. I anticipate that the game will continue to offer these rewarding experiences to both users and businesses.
I am aware of the risks that Pokémon Go is beginning to create, in particular, on the roadways, potentially creating a threat worse than texting. As the game warns on its loading screen, "Remember to be alert at all times. Be aware of your surroundings." I am eager to see the solutions that will be proposed to avoid disastrous side effects of driving while trying to catch Pokémon. However, I remain impressed by the gameplay created by Niantic and published by Pokémon, inspiring and motivating users to unite, exercise, and explore.