The Popular Phone App, Pokémon Go, and How It has Changed Everyday Living from Its Official Launch to Present Day

Pocket Monster, commonly known as Pokémon Go, is a free smartphone app that combines gaming with real-world happenings. It is a game that uses mapping technology and location tracking to develop an augmented reality that enables players to catch and train Pokémon characters in real locations (Baranowski and Elizabeth 73). Pokemon Go is majorly for people who are over 13 years old. Therefore, Pokemon Go applies age restrictions, as children below 13 years cannot set up an account. Parents are also not allowed to set up an account for their underage children. One can set up an account using a Google email address; however, one can also set up a Pokemon Trainer account as long as the age requirement is observed (Baranowski and Elizabeth 74). The game was launched in July 2016 and has become a global cultural phenomenon and a smash hit game. Since it was launched six years ago, the game has impacted people differently. Therefore, the paper discusses how Pokemon Go has changed everyday living from its official launch to the present day.

How Pokémon Go has Changed Everyday Living from Its Official Launch to Present Day.

Pokemon Go is the most popular game in the United States, with millions of downloads. The game has earned a lot of revenue, running into millions of US dollars since its launch in 2016 (Baranowski and Elizabeth 74). Additionally, Pokemon Go has revolutionized our daily life in many ways. Many people across the globe who play this game have had a positive experience with their lives. Over the years, Pokemon Go has changed everyday life through behavior change, healthy lifestyles, bringing people together, easing anxiety and depression, and keeping the mind sharp.

Behavior Change

Pokemon Go has changed everyday living through behavior changes among people participating in the game. People have different behaviors that are good or bad depending on how they interact with one another. Those who interact while playing the game interact effectively as they share ideas and learn from one another. People gain a sense of motivation as they play the game. Long-term admirers of the game expressed feelings of nostalgia as they usually long for the past interaction (Khalis et al., np). Some people do express the feelings of becoming a Pokemon Master in real life by catching all the Pokemon. The change of behavior is also experienced in children who play the game. Pokemon Go has improved children's behavior as they learn to respect others while playing, not necessarily older people (Khalis et al., np). Children have also learned to respect the property of other people, which is a significant behavior change.

Creates a Sense of Togetherness and Community

The game brings people together, thus creating a sense of community. Pokemon Go encourages people who play the game to get together in the real world. Through the game, players from different backgrounds come together, interact and share information on where to find creatures (Khalis et al., np). People are no longer strangers as they meet and interact more when playing Pokemon Go. There are many instances where players have met people from different racial, ethnic, and geographical backgrounds and have become good and loyal friends. During the COVID–19 pandemic that led to lockdowns, Niantic, the parent company of Pokemon Go, introduced additional game features that enhanced players' social interaction. The new virtual features introduced made the game more inclusive, as people with disabilities could also play the game with much ease (Khalis et al., np). Incorporating those living with disabilities into the game has expanded the community as many people are brought on board. Children also come together as they have learned to stay in groups, which helps build a cohesive community.

Healthy Lifestyles

Society is experiencing healthy lifestyles as a result of the Pokemon Go game. The game involves travelling as players move from one place to another with their smartphones. As players walk from one location to another, many health benefits come their way. Walking is enough exercise with physical benefits. Those suffering from health complications such as obesity and diabetes have found Pokemon Go helpful because it has helped them lose weight and manage diabetes (Barbero et al., 159). Many people are suffering from many diseases associated with being overweight. In most cases, such people do not have time to exercise daily. However, they can get help by playing the Pokemon Go game daily. The game will ensure they lose weight and improve their physical fitness without going to the gym (Barbero et al., 160). Therefore, the Pokemon Go game is a way of improving the physical health status of the participant.

Easing Anxiety and Depression

Pokémon Go has also changed everyday living because it plays a vital role in easing anxiety and depression. Walking and moving from one location to another is helping many people deal with mental health issues that lead to depression. Pokémon Go game eases anxiety and depression, as many players have testified that they have been feeling better after a few Pokémon walks (Cheng et al. 73). Depression is a mental health issue affecting many people worldwide. When players regularly exercise through walking, they gain a lot as they improve their physical fitness, which translates to better mental health. Pokemon Go has reduced the number of global deaths resulting from depression. Cases of depression have reduced significantly as it encourages face-to-face socialization, outdoor physical activity, and exposure to nature. The game tends to make people happier, which means they will be less depressed (Williams et al., 518).

Keeps the Mind Sharp

Finally, Pokémon Go keeps the mind sharp, improving everyday living. The game looks simple to play, and this attracted many people to it. However, when you delve into the world, there are many details that need to be learned (Wang, np). Players exercise their brains through the gym battles and creature stats. The National Institute of Aging states that working your grey matter with puzzles, education, and social interaction reduces the chances of Alzheimer's disease. The game also involves odds, maths, and achievable goals, while other stops are artistic landmarks and historical (Wang, np). Therefore, players have been able to power their knowledge of local history as they prepare for the game ahead.

Conclusion

Pokémon Go is a game loved by many people globally, and it has transformed everyday life since it was launched in July 2016. The game has had positive and negative outcomes. However, the positive impacts on our daily lives outweigh the negative impacts. Therefore, Pokémon Go has changed everyday living through improved lifestyles, change of behavior, bringing people together, keeping players' minds sharp, and easing anxiety and depression. The game is loved globally because of its positive impacts, and it is expected to continue gaining momentum and gain more subscribers.

Works Cited

Baranowski, Tom, and Elizabeth J. Lyons. "Scoping review of Pokemon Go: comprehensive assessment of augmented reality for physical activity change." Games for Health Journal 9.2 (2020): 71-84.

Barbero, Erika M., et al. "Healthcare encounters for Pokémon Go: Risks and benefits of playing." Games for Health Journal 7.3 (2018): 157-163.

Cheng, Zhi, Brad N. Greenwood, and Paul A. Pavlou. "Location-based mobile gaming and local depression trends: a study of Pokémon Go." Journal of Management Information Systems 39.1 (2022): 68-101.

Khalis, Adri, et al. "You teach me, and I'll teach you: The role of social interactions on positivity elicited from playing Pokémon GO." Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace 16.4 (2022).

Wang, Alf Inge. "Systematic literature review on health effects of playing Pokémon Go." Entertainment Computing 38 (2021): 100411.

Williams, Russell B., and Natasa Slak-Valek. "Pokémon GO is serious leisure that increases the touristic engagement, physical activity and sense of happiness of players." Information Technology & Tourism 21.4 (2019): 515-533.