Pokémon Go is an augmented reality, mobile phone game that was released for iOS and Android devices on July 6th, 2016. It quickly became one of the most popular mobile games on both devices. The release of the game kickstarted a new Pokémania and became what some might argue to be a social movement. Players from around the world were running outside to catch the fictional creatures that were scattered around their neighborhoods. However, after the excitement for the game settled down, a large number of players began dropping the game entirely. It's not hard to see why.
Pokémon Go appealed to fans of the Pokémon franchise because it was the closest any Pokémon game had come to bringing the Tamagotchi monstrosities into the real world. The game was free. Gameplay was relatively simple. It used the phone's internal GPS to calculate a players location and then would randomly spawn Pokémon on the map. In order to catch a Pokémon, players would simply tap on the Pokémon's avatar and a separate screen would appear with the Pokémon ready and waiting. Players could then select a pokéball and use their finger to throw the ball at the Pokémon. If they were lucky, the Pokémon wouldn't pop out of the ball and they could add their new monster to their ever growing collection. Areas in the real world were turned into item spawn sites, called Pokéstops, where a player could spin a dial to collect rewards. Other locations acted as gyms for players to challenge and even own. Additionally, a faction system was introduced into the game with three different teams: Mystic, Instinct, and Valor. This allowed players to work together to capture a gym for their team. Once captured, the players could then deposit a Pokémon to defend the gym.
For as much fun as Pokémon Go was in the beginning, the game was far from perfect. It's gameplay quickly became repetitive. Many essential features from the Pokémon franchise, like trading or direct battles between players, were missing. Bugs were so common in the game and so destructive that one of the major features of the game, the nearby tracker, was actually scrapped completely. Not to mention the fact that the game was rendered nearly unplayable unless you were in an area with a large concentration of players. Pokémon spawned more frequently in densely populated areas and were often more diverse in these areas as well. Additionally, Pokéstops and Pokémon Gyms were also linked to population density. If you lived in a small town or rural area, the number of Pokémon you could catch was severely limited and getting new Pokéballs and other items was virtually impossible without forking over real cash. Plus, not all of the Pokémon, or even just the original 150, were available to players. Most of the issues still have not been resolved.
The faction system was a problem of its own. While it was an interesting concept, the factions created instant animosity between players. Stereotypes were assigned to each team almost immediately. Valor players were seen as rude, aggressive, idiotic, and overzealous. Mystic players were considered stuck up and considered to just be following the crowd. Instinct players were often ridiculed for being naive to the point of stupidity. Despite the fact that none of these stereotypes were grounded in fact, it wasn't unusual for players to insult and exclude members of the other team. Plus, it quickly became apparent that team Mystic was the largest team, far outnumbering team Valor and rendering team Instinct completely pointless.
Niantic, the company that developed the game, has been working tirelessly since the launch to come out with frequent updates. A system was added to replace the nearby tracker... and then removed. Only to replaced again and again. Leveling was a complete grind and cheating was rampant. Every time one bug got fixed, another would appear. The Halloween event and addition of the buddy system briefly restored interest, but that waved died down very fast. Niantic tried to spice things up once more by announcing a series of new Pokémon, but ended up only adding seven new Pokémon. Six of which were from generation 2 and can only be obtained through hatching eggs.
Between the repetitive, boring gameplay and all the screwy issues surrounding the game, it isn't hard to understand why so many people stopped playing. However, I play the game almost every single day and have done so since the title first launched. The reason why I never stopped playing is multifaceted. The game gave me an incentive to go outside. It became the carrot I needed to leave the house and wander around. It encouraged players to walk and so walk I did. Many players who suffered from depression or anxiety reported that the game actually helped them. When school started up again, it only became easier to play the game. Since my walk to school was a mile and a half (2.4 km) in one direction, it made the walk to school a little more bearable. I didn't have to go out of my way to play the game and the college campus gave me everything I needed to play without running out of items. Plus, it also helped that the game scratched that fantasy itch that made Pokémon players have had since their childhood.
That is why I continue to play the game. Yes, it has its faults. There really is no excusing some of them. But Pokémon Go is easy, convenient, and a fantasy made real. It encourages me to wander around. Does the game have problems? Absolutely. But catching that new Pokémon will always brighten my day and makes wandering around just a little easier.
