July 27, 2016

4 Ways Pokemon GO Positively Impacts Your Life

Courtney Blossey – Account Coordinator

Nintendo announced a new addition to it’s extensive line of video games – Pokemon GO, a virtual game that tracks your movements and allows players to search key locations in their communities with the goal of becoming a Pokemon trainer. This app/mobile game allows players to virtually catch Pokemon and game items that appear at certain locations as they get out and interact with their community.

When the game became the most downloaded app after not even a week of being released, I decided I had to see what all the hype was about.

Here are a four reasons to play Pokemon GO:

You have to get up and go – You can’t be a Pokemon master without putting physical effort into the game. Players find better Pokemon as they visit check-in stations set at various locations in their community. Through GPS tracking, the game requires physical movement to advance in the virtual world.

You get to experience what makes your community special – In the four years I studied at the University of Oklahoma, I never visited some key Norman favorites. However, Pokemon GO led me to experience the OU duck pond, Taramahara’s Mexican Restaurant and several unique murals and sculptures for the first time in the six years I’ve lived here.

You get to see the culture of your community – Many of the Pokemon stops are set at places like public murals, sculptures and various artistic venues within communities. Hint – college campuses are GREAT places to search.

You are inspired to communicate – While this game can easily be a single-player game, there is a social aspect to it. Players are encouraged to battle it out at designated “gyms” with other Pokemon trainers, and the active aspect of the game leads several trainers in the same locations. While playing, multiple people told me where I could find key Pokemon to “Level Up” in the game.

For more information about Pokemon GO.

Fun fact – This game has added $7.5 billion in value to Nintendo with stocks up 22%.

Happy adventuring to all of you trainers and future trainers!

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