Is Pokémon Go A Fad?
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Is Pokémon Go A Fad?

How long can the hype last?

20
Is Pokémon Go A Fad?
Youtube

Unless you've been living under a rock with no Wi-Fi for the past week, Pokémon Go has taken over the world. It's no surprise; this is probably the closest we'll ever get to becoming real life Pokémon trainers, and everyone wants in on it. However, what is surprising is all the good that the game is doing. I don't mean that the game itself is really good; in fact, there are a lot of serious problems that need to be patched ASAP (constantly crashing servers, lack of trading, and a frustrating tracking system, to name a few). What I mean is that Pokémon Go is having a genuinely positive impact on the world at large. Never before has a video game made people so much more sociable, more physically active, and surprisingly so much more kind to their fellow human beings. It's even helping people with mental health issues. There are tons of articles out already talking about how great the game is, but there's one question I feel has been somewhat ignored, perhaps because no one wants to think about it.

Is Pokémon Go just a fad?

Video games, and especially mobile games, don’t tend to remain relevant for very long. In an industry that’s constantly adding new material and attempting to reshape its own landscape, a single game doesn’t stand much of a chance of maintaining its hype past the year of its release. This isn’t a bad thing; in fact, this constant drive to create new, enticing games is what has made video games such a big part of the modern entertainment industry. If Pokémon Go is going to maintain its following, it’s going to have to adapt by adding new features and improving the current gameplay. Even then, the physical and time-consuming demands of the game may lose their appeal over time and become more of a liability than an asset. The Pokémon branding will definitely keep it going strong over the next several months, but nothing lasts forever. Whether the game’s popularity declines in the next few weeks or the next few years, it will eventually decline.

But here’s the thing: that doesn’t matter.

Even if the game itself is just a fad, even if we’re all done with it by tomorrow morning, Pokémon Go has done something that few games ever accomplish. It’s proven that video games can be good for society as a whole. Even now, at the height of the industry’s power, video games are looked down on as childish, wasteful of time, or damaging to one’s mental health. Pokémon Go is the culmination of decades’ worth of video games struggling to prove that gaming isn’t just a form of entertainment. It’s not even just an art form. It’s something that can actively change the world. It’s something that can have an impact on the lives of millions of people all around the world. Pokémon Go proves that games can bring people together and notably improve the quality of their lives.

Pokémon Go may fade away as new games rise to take its place, but the impact it leaves surely won’t. Because it’s proven that a game, even one as simple as catching virtual creatures, can make the world a better place.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

49088
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

31197
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

954953
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

180241
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments