Deirdra Harris-Glover
Managing Editor
The game developers at Niantic want you to know there is another world overlaid upon our own, and it’s filled with adorable creatures from your childhood.
“Pokémon Go” is a joint venture between Nintendo Co Ltd. and Niantic, Inc. Niantic’s self-professed “real world gaming” experience allows players to interact with a fictional world in immersive ways, using landmarks and public structures as in-game locations.
With “Pokémon Go”, hunters can load up on virtual gear supplied at PokéStops, seek out Pokémon in their habitats, catch them, and test their mettle in digital battle, all via mobile devices.
Mariama Feaster, a sophomore meteorology major from Atlanta, Ga. and a Team Valor player, started playing over the summer.
“At first, I thought it was just another stupid app game but my pure, curious mind kept telling me to give it a shot. I did and turned out to be fun,” said Feaster.
How do you know if someone you know is playing the game? You might recognize “Pokémon Go” players by their erratic walking patterns on the plaza or directing an elaborate photo shoot with an unseen subject. Keep an eye out for friends’ sudden fondness toward red, yellow, or blue clothing, representing teams Valor, Instinct and Mystic.
Players hunch over tablets and phones in the library, their eyes darting around the room as they endlessly tap their screens, bodies triumphantly punching the air or sagging in defeat.
The game’s Pokéstops are a low-key way to meet new people, offering free game items and the opportunity to use “lures” to attract Pokémon to that location. Unlike most items, lures are the only equipment that gives other players a bonus.
“When you see a lure up, you know people are playing there,” said Team Instinct player Melvin Davis, a junior electrical engineering major from Jackson, Miss. “I’ve gone multiple times. Most times I’d meet someone new and we’d instantly have something to talk about since we were both there for the same reason.”
While the game’s critics decry the game for further distancing players from the real world and promoting “together-alone” group dynamics, the game has made people more active, and even boosted mood in some players suffering from depression and anxiety.
Dr. John M. Grohol, a psychiatrist blogging at PsychCentral writes, “For a person suffering from depression or another mood disorder, the idea of exercise can be nearly impossible to contemplate, much less do… That’s why an engaging game like “Pokémon Go” can be helpful.”
While players may cause real world problems, such as driving and playing, Niantic is implementing safeguards and repeated warnings to ensure safety. The most noticeable difference in your neighborhood is probably more people walking around outside.
“I think it can make others feel weird playing it in public, but who cares?” laughs Feaster.
