The game is only accessible on mobile devices, which makes sense given its gallant nature. It also makes it easier for players to keep an eye on timed events and always be ready for an exchange if they randomly encounter a fellow coach. Because of the way the game works, it allows people to physically communicate with each other in the real world, outside, in nature, while playing a game. My wife doesn’t actually play games at all and doesn’t care about Pokémon, but now she’s playing Pokemon GO with me. My social media is flooded with Pokemon GO and everywhere I go out I see people playing the game too.
As we walked down the Embarcadero, looking out over San Francisco Bay, we found Tentacool and Magikarp hanging along the railings, and even a Squirtle playing grass across the street. The developers explained that Pokémon from certain elements will be in specific areas, so water Pokémon will appear around water bodies, while other environments such as rainforests, mountains, and deserts will harbor their own unique types of Pokémon. When the app detects a Pokémon nearby, your phone vibrates even when you’re not actively looking at it. To catch a Pokémon, look at your phone and use your finger to slide a Pokeball in its direction — direct hits often catch them all at once, but it can take multiple Pokeballs to finally acquire a Pokémon. On July 15, about 1.3 million people played the game in the Netherlands, even though the app had not yet been officially launched in the country at that time.
Dan Guido, CEO of security company Trail of Bits, analyzed the app’s programming and found that while the game requested full access to the account, it didn’t allow for third-party use as initially sent. Guido discovered that Niantic had unintentional access to people’s e-mail addresses and telephone numbers. Niantic has also issued a statement assuring users that no information has been collected or accessed beyond what was necessary to use the app. Investors were encouraged by the reaction to the first launch of Pokémon Go on July 7, with Nintendo’s share price rising by an initial 10%, and on July 14, the stock rose as much as 50%. While Nintendo owns only a 32% stake in The Pokémon Company and an undisclosed stake in Niantic, Nintendo’s market value soared by US$9 billion within five days of Pokémon Go’s launch. The trend continued more than a week after the game’s release, and on July 19, Nintendo’s stock value more than doubled compared to the pre-release.
Once you reach level 20, you’ll have access to raid events where a powerful Boss Pokémon appears at certain times of the day. If there is a robbery in your area, you will receive a notification and you have the opportunity to participate. But if you walk to a gym, you’ll be disappointed if the doorman at the door asks you for a Raid Pass or Premium Raid Pass and you don’t have one. These can be obtained by going to a gym and turning the photo disc.
Once created, an avatar is displayed on a map based on the player’s geographic location. These PokéStops can be equipped with items called ‘Decoy Pokemon GO producten Modules’, which attract additional, and sometimes rare, wild Pokémon. Gyms serve as battlefields for team-based king of the hill competitions.
Do you want to catch Beedrill, Bulbasaur or other insect and plant-like creatures? And big city dwellers may wonder why there are so many electric Pokémon like Magnemite and Voltorb around. And while the players are a stereotypically lazy group, it doesn’t slow them down a bit.