by Blanton Stagno
Gasping, squealing, jumping for joy, and eyes locked on the screen of an IPhone are clear indicators that one is engulfed by the virtual reality game of Pokémon Go. It has taken the world by storm, especially in the United States. The game has been downloaded over 20 million times in its first week of being available in the United States alone.
Pensacola is not a big city but there are still masses of people gathered at Pokémon Hotspots. Some those places include the Palafox Pier and Veterans Memorial Park. So don’t worry when people are walking around or standing still with their nose buried in their phone around these areas. They are just hunting for Pokémon.
Another cool aspect in this game are Poke Stops. These stops are available to all people who play the game and they are used by trainers to acquire the necessary items to succeed in the game like Pokémon Balls, potions to heal Pokémon, and Pokémon lures to draw Pokémon closer to you or near a certain area. The Fish House is a local popular restaurant, and it is a Poke Stop so if you are ever hungry it might not be a bad idea to eat a meal and catch Pokémon at the same time.
The point of this game is to get people out of the house and off their couches. Local 23-year-old Matt Dziadon notices what the game has brought to Pensacola.
“It has definitely gotten more people out of the house. I see a lot of young people out and about downtown at all hours of the day and night,†said Dziadon.
Certain Pokémon come out at different times. It may be easier to catch the elusive ghost Pokémon like Gastly and Haunter at night and the easier to catch Pokémon like Pidgey in the day.
This game is usually being played by young people, but senior citizen Lola Hogeman is also playing Pokémon Go.
“The game is fun and it is very exciting when I catch something and I find it can become addictive especially when trying to find the more difficult Pokémon,” said Hogeman. “It is a challenge for an older person who has never played Pokémon games before.â€
Pokémon is so popular in the city of Pensacola that it has even been used to build friendships and spark conversations amongst the citizens that play the game. Another local 23-year-old, Lindsey Shaw has noticed this.
She said, “Well I think it gives people something to talk about and a common interest. If two friends both enjoy playing it, it gives them a reason to spend time together and be active.”
With over 20 million downloads within the first week alone the game is expected to grow as more people download the game all over the world. Pokémon Go does not seem to be slowing down or losing peoples interest at all.
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Editor’s notes: Yesterday, Mayor Ashton Hayward sent out a press release that asked Pokemon Go players to stay away from Veterans Memorial Park. No word yet if the city plans to remove all the MagiKarp in Admiral Mason Pond.
While DIB leaders don’t appear to be interested in the Pokemon Go craze, a Pensacola Pokemon Pub Crawl has been posted on the web for August 13 at 8 p.m.