Enter Pokemon Go: a game that takes the monsters out of the game device in your pocket and throws them back into the wild. Drawing inspiration from the original while incorporating modern-day GPS-based geocaching and augmented reality gameplay mechanisms, Pokemon Go lets any smartphone user become a virtual Pokémon master.
But just as when real-world non-native creatures are introduced to a new environment, Pokemon creatures have caused similar disruptions in their new habitats. While some players have benefited massively from playing the new augmented-reality smartphone game, others have come to harm and danger – even death.
Since Pokemon Go launched a few short weeks ago we’ve already seen it take over the world. Will this be a good or bad thing? Read on for a short list of just a few of the pro’s and con’s of this unprecedented gaming phenomenon.
The Pokemon Positives
Better Health
Pokémon Go has done wonders for users’ mental wellness by encouraging outdoor activity, increasing players’ exposure to sunlight and giving them the chance to interact with fellow gamers. The app has even helped to treat symptoms of depression and PTSD. Some players find joy in reconnecting with a hobby of their youth, while others have fun engaging with older gamers who played in the 90’s as adults.
Pokémon Go doesn’t just treat the mind, it also encourages a great deal of physical activity. The Pokémon egg mechanic requires users to travel up to 5 kilometers to hatch them, releasing a new, rare monster into the player’s collection.
The game also has educational opportunities as a given area’s monsters correlate to where those monsters’ real-life analogs would be located; bugs can be found in the woods, water monsters are found around water and so on. Bottom line is, with Pokemon Go, video game players are finally seeing the benefits of sports-game practice: stronger muscles, improved heart rate, lower body weight, and a better mind-body connection overall.
A Strong Social Life
Beyond its benefits to a single user, Pokémon Go has also inspired a community of tip-swapping and encouragement akin to the video game communities of the ’80s and early ’90s. Players are coming together to share what they know and the impending ability to trade Pokémon will only embolden this communal benefit. This is an incredible, new way to bring groups and individuals together that has never been matched by another video game.
The Pokemon Problems
Risks of Physical Danger
One major drawback of Pokémon Go is that overzealous players can become so immersed in the game that they run the risk of losing sense of their surroundings. This has the obvious potential for injuries, or even fatalities in the case of individuals caught Pokemon’ing and driving.
According to this home security website, a handful of stories have already emerged where cagey individuals have manipulated the app’s PokéLure system so that potential marks will head into unsafe areas to find rare monsters, only to be robbed of valuables or even their lives.
Furthermore, unattended children may stumble into dangerous areas in the quest for an ultra-rare monster and become trapped, lost or even kidnapped. Yet another unavoidable drawback to Pokémon Go is that mobility-impaired users may be unable to catch certain monsters and this could lead to depression.
Privacy Loss
Pokémon Go users who have yet not updated to the latest version of the application (version 1.01) run the risk of becoming exposed to several security threats; the initial version of Pokémon Go had an issues where, if the user signed up through a Google account, the app would gain unrestricted access to the user’s account. Even if a user has safeguarded any personal information on their Google account or phone,
Even if a user has safeguarded any personal information on their Google account or phone, Pokémon Go also entails targeted marketing. Google’s status as one of the leading advertisers in the world means that the rarest monsters will likely find their way over to business locations of Google’s affiliates.
Timed to coincide with the Pokemon franchise’s 20th anniversary, the release of Pokemon Go has been met with international acclaim and media attention. But while you can connect with friends, become encouraged to exercise, and brighten up your mood, be careful with your information and mindful of your surroundings.
To get the most out of your Pokemon experience, always make sure to remember that though these creatures aren’t real, they can still play tricks with dangerous consequences.
To get the most out of your Pokemon experience, always make sure to remember that though these creatures aren’t real, they can still play tricks with dangerous consequences.
