Injuries and crime reports go up as Pokemon Go takes the world by storm

On July 6, 2016, Niantic Labs released Pokémon Go, an augmented reality based game on iOS and Android devices in Australia and the United States. News of the game spread like wildfire, especially amongst millennial, as more and more people were drawn to this unique gaming experience. The game proved to be a massive success, its release adding nearly $11 billion to Nintendo’s value.  Pokémon Go has proved to be so popular that, according to Forbes, it is about to surpass Twitter in the number of daily active users on Android. The game became the top grossing app in the IPhone store last week after its release in US, Australia, and New Zealand.

Video games generally are blamed for spreading laziness and weight problems because of the players not moving for hours while playing. However, people playing Pokémon Go are posting about it being an encouragement for physical exercise. While there are games like Dance Dance Revolution and Wii Fit that motivate fitness, Pokémon Go has become a popular way for people to go outside and walk around looking for pocket monsters. The game being an augmented reality based game makes players walk to different places to be able to catch different Pokémon. Due to this, players’ fitness applications on their phones, like Fitbits, are recording an increase in the amount of distance walked.

My legs are actually sore from all the walking I did yesterday playing pokemon go...who needs a gym membership

— Erik Puterio (@Erok_Sway) July 9, 2016

@CatchEmAlI I blame #PokemonGO. pic.twitter.com/MaTMzmMSlL

— Kate Simpson (@Katealyst) July 11, 2016

Did I really walk 13 km yesterday... These Pokemon are getting me in shape

— Andrew Campbell (@ZyoriTV) July 10, 2016

Its popularity comes with a caveat, however, as reports indicate a rise in crime and injuries related to the game. Police in Missouri claim four suspects used Pokémon Go to lure victims and conduct armed robberies over the past few days. In Wyoming, a teenage girl found a dead body floating in the river one morning as she was outside playing the game. Social media has also been abuzz with users sharing tales of injuries sustained whilst walking around searching for Pokémon’s.

I just walked into a wall playing #PokemonGO but I'm still considered qualified enough to raise young humans. Parenting is great.

— Mike Reynolds (@EverydayGirlDad) July 11, 2016

Police are now asserting that users stay aware and play the game with caution, especially when alerting strangers of their location. Police reports in Missouri claim Armed robbers used the game’s geological location to lure victim to isolated areas. In another incident,  the game led a teenager to a dead body in a river. Police officer after investigating the body stated “ The death seemed to be accidental in nature.”, Though the water was only 3ft deep where the body was found, investigators said the man possibly drowned. Australian police have also requested that players look up from their phones whilst crossing the streets.

On the other hand, the game’s limited release has led the rest of the world to download the game on their phones illegally as they try to keep up with the hype, whilst others wait for Nintendo to officially release the game before experiencing this augmented reality for themselves. Pokémon Go is also capturing the interests of Pakistanis. Thousands of people in Pakistan play the game and share their experiences on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. This goes to show how people could not wait for the game to be released in their country and wanted to try it as soon as it was released. There are groups on Facebook, dedicated to Pokémon Go, sharing locations that they pinned on Google maps, to find the pocket monsters in different cities of Pakistan.

Whilst the struggles of the game are real and any injuries sustained serious, the game’s popularity on social media as people document their experiences is a refreshing break from the usual debates on political events and celebrity gossip.