Pokemon Go: Difference between revisions - VR & AR Wiki - Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Wiki

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Even though a lot of the focus has been on Nintendo, with the boost in the share value of the company, we must not forget that this is a joint venture between The Pokémon Company, Nintendo and Niantic (with Google also in the mix, since Niantic was founded as an internal Google startup <ref>http://fortune.com/2016/07/12/google-pokemon-go/</ref>). But even if Nintendo has only a minority stake in Pokémon GO, the success of the game app means exposure for the Japanese video game company. Something much needed since many have viewed Nintendo to be on the decline after the success of the Wii <ref>http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2016/07/11/will-pokemon-go-be-the-nintendo-cash-cow-investors-are-hoping-for/#2e2b3d765926</ref>.

The game takes its foundations from another creation of Niantic: [[Ingress]]. It blends real-world exploration with a digital overlay, through the use of geo-localization and camera functions on the smartphone to superimpose images of [[Pokémon]] to be captured. Its success can be attributed to this blend of the virtual and the real, the geo-location and, of course, the massive appeal of the Pokémon brand. The allure of hunting down and collecting Pokémon is still high ~~[9]~~.

The game takes its foundations from another creation of Niantic: [[Ingress]]. It blends real-world exploration with a digital overlay, through the use of geo-localization and camera functions on the smartphone to superimpose images of [[Pokémon]] to be captured. Its success can be attributed to this blend of the virtual and the real, the geo-location and, of course, the massive appeal of the Pokémon brand. The allure of hunting down and collecting Pokémon is still high <ref>http://theconversation.com/whats-made-poke-mon-go-such-a-viral-success-62420</ref>http://www.themarysue.com/pokemon-go-mental-health/.

People are also moving, gathering, and exploring the outside due to the game app. There have been anecdotal reports that the game is helping people with depression, anxiety and agoraphobia to leave the house, helping them by providing the necessary motivation to overcome their conditions ~~[10]~~. It’s not a cure and, as previously stated, these health benefits are only anecdotal, but it’s an example of how powerful game design can be by providing a system of motivation and rewards. The fact is that walking and spending more time outdoors are good for you ~~[11; 12]~~, and it seems that it’s something that Pokémon GO is making a lot of people do.

People are also moving, gathering, and exploring the outside due to the game app. There have been anecdotal reports that the game is helping people with [[Mental health|depression, anxiety and agoraphobia]] to leave the house, helping them by providing the necessary motivation to overcome their conditions <ref>http://www.themarysue.com/pokemon-go-mental-health/</ref>. It’s not a cure and, as previously stated, these health benefits are only anecdotal, but it’s an example of how powerful game design can be by providing a system of motivation and rewards. The fact is that walking and spending more time outdoors are good for you <ref>http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/PhysicalActivity/Walking/Walk-Dont-Run-Your-Way-to-a-Healthy-Heart_UCM_452926_Article.jsp</ref> <ref> http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/spending-time-outdoors-is-good-for-you</ref>, and it seems that it’s something that Pokémon GO is making a lot of people do.

There have been problems too, since the recent release of the game. Problems with the servers going down due to the overflow of players (which even caused a delay in the worldwide release of the app), bugs, and a myriad of strange occurrences, like the discovery of a dead body by a teenager while playing the game ~~[13; 14; 15]~~. Recently, there have also been concerns over privacy. The Democratic senator Al Franken has even written a letter to Niantic Labs, expressing his worries about the collecting, use and sharing of the users’ personal information by the company ~~[16; 17]~~.

There have been problems too, since the recent release of the game. Problems with the servers going down due to the overflow of players (which even caused a delay in the worldwide release of the app), bugs, and a myriad of strange occurrences, like the discovery of a dead body by a teenager while playing the game <ref>http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2016/07/07/pokemon-go-servers-seem-to-be-struggling/#64880df14958</ref> <ref>http://www.inverse.com/article/18130-a-short-history-of-the-police-s-weird-relationship-with-pokemon-go</ref> <ref>http://tek.sapo.pt/mobile/apps/artigo/pokemon_go_ja_deu_aso_a_uma_mao_cheia_de_situacoes_bizarras-48106umv.html</ref>. Recently, there have also been concerns over privacy. The Democratic senator Al Franken has even written a letter to Niantic Labs, expressing his worries about the collecting, use and sharing of the users’ personal information by the company <ref>http://www.i4u.com/2016/07/113286/pokemon-go-success-has-alarmed-us-senator-al-franken</ref> <ref>http://money.cnn.com/2016/07/13/technology/pokemon-go-al-franken/</ref>.

These troubles don’t seem to be affecting the interest on the game, although questions remain if it’s going to keep the momentum, or fade away like so many other apps. An example closer to Nintendo is that of Miitomo that had early success but could not sustain it [2; 18]. With the full release of Pokémon GO throughout the world, we will see if the success is just due to the novelty of it or if the game is indeed well designed and capable of capturing the attention and dedication of players for a long time.