Skip to content

Pokemon Go puts new spin on gaming

Summer is in full swing and for local teen Kris MacCarahan, that means it’s time to grab his sneakers, put on a ball cap, head outside and play video games. Following the official Canadian release of Pokemon Go July 17 MacCarahan’s not alone.
Kris MacCarahan hunts for Pokemon at the Westlock skate park July 18. Pokemon Go was released Canada-wide July 17.
Kris MacCarahan hunts for Pokemon at the Westlock skate park July 18. Pokemon Go was released Canada-wide July 17.

Summer is in full swing and for local teen Kris MacCarahan, that means it’s time to grab his sneakers, put on a ball cap, head outside and play video games.

Following the official Canadian release of Pokemon Go July 17 MacCarahan’s not alone. Gamers nation-wide are pulling back their blinds and taking to the streets to catch Pokemon and exploring PokeStops.

Pokemon Go, an interactive, augmented reality video game lets user explore, walk around and capture digital monsters called Pokemon projected into the real world using smartphone cameras.

The wildly popular digital hit has smashed records downloads with tens of millions of active users in North American, alone. At its peak, Candy Crush had around 20 million users, a benchmark shattered by Pokemon Go a full week before its official Canadian release.

Like many tech-savvy teens, MacCarahan has been playing the game for months, and said that its built-in need for real-world movement has even gotten non-gamers interested.

“It actually works. My brother doesn’t come outside at all and I showed him that I got it a couple of weeks ago and he enjoys it now,” MacCarahan said.

“He actually came for a half hour walk with me.”

The mobile game lets players explore the real world with digital add-ons. After personalizing an avatar with custom clothing and appearance, users are planted on a digital map of the real world around them.

Similar to walking somewhere with the help of a GPS map, users move around whatever city or town they’re in and watch as the corresponding avatar walks across a modified area map.

Digital objects then appear on the screen so users can interact with the augmented reality.

They’re able to click on and pick up items like potions to heal their Pokemon and even capture Pokemon projected onto a real-world environment .

The game is being lauded for its emphasis on physical activity and social interaction, forcing users out in to the real world so they can find Pokemon and other real-world players to “battle.”

Business-owner Brian Mendieta said that he first heard of the game when a co-worker told him his store Local Meats was crawling with the creatures.

He said the game seemed like a perfect summer pastime for his three kids.

“It’s a neat concept. Adding cartoons to reality is pretty neat,” Mendieta said. “They were hiding all over the store. We found a few and I thought, ‘Oh, my kids will love this.’”

Mendieta lives in the hamlet of Pickardville and said that he’s not worried about his kids chasing Pokemon outside.

While many have had positive experiences playing the game, there are isolated cases of the game causing accidents.

In some places, users have ignored warnings to pay attention to real-world surroundings and distracted driving laws, causing car crashes.

Also, the game is restricted to kids 13 years and up, but like many Internet applications, those restrictions can be difficult to enforce.

Though no instances of inappropriate behaviour have yet been reported, the game encourages users, regardless of age, to congregate at “gyms,” locations out in the real world where users can battle one another’s Pokemon.

Players can also deploy “lures,” perhaps worrisomely named items that indicate a Pokemon trainer are looking to interact with other players at PokeStops.

Though PokeStops are frequently public locations, those locations can be submitted by anyone online, making them difficult to police.

Despite the potential dangers, many parents are still excited that their kids’ video games now encourage exercise and real-world exploration.

Statistically, accidents and injuries from playing Pokemon Go seem to correspond roughly with incidents from other common distractions, like texting while driving or crossing the street with headphones.

Mendieta said that he’s confident the same will hold true for his children when they’re out looking for Pokemon and that the tight-knit community and low traffic in Pickardville give him enough to confidence to let his kids explore.

“I don’t know if there’s going to be as many out there [in Pickardville] but I hope so,” Mendieta said.

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks