There are many who expected to Pokémon GO to do well. After all, Pokémon is one of Nintendo's most powerful franchises, and having a version of it arrive for free on mobile devices was sure to be a success.
The fact that the game quickly soared to the top of the iOS and Android app stores isn't a surprise. In less than a week after the game's release in the United States, Pokémon GO has evolved from a huge mobile gaming event and into a full-blown cultural phenomenon. No matter where you go, whether to a local park or downtown, groups of people are all huddled around their phones, cheering and laughing as they catch new Pokémon and battle for supremacy. Businesses lucky enough to be near in-game Pokestops or gyms are capitalizing on Pokémon GO fever, encouraging men and women of all ages to come visit.
It's unlike any video game release in the history of gaming, and the effect it's already having is one worth celebrating. Nintendo and Niantic's mobile game is bringing people from all walks of life together, united in their love and nostalgia for the franchise.
Many Pokémon GO players are older fans who haven't played a Pokémon game since the original Pokémon Red and Blue, but because of Pokémon GO's free nature, find themselves trying to become a Pokémon master once again. Other players have never played any game in the franchise before, and are trying to "catch 'em all" for the first time. Others still are franchise veterans, fans who have played every game in the series and will no doubt be Nintendo fans for life. This image of a diverse group of Pokémon GO players has close to 3,000 comments on the front page of Reddit and just goes to show how the game is bringing people together.
No matter what a person's prior experience with Pokémon, this mobile game brings them all together and treats them as equals. Its simple premise and easy-to-understand basics make for a game that both newcomers and diehard Pokémon fans can enjoy. The fact that a free-to-play game about capturing monsters in tiny red balls can bring so many people together, so many people who otherwise would never think about taking a pleasant stroll through a local park, is nothing short of remarkable. If nothing else, the fact that Pokémon GO is encouraging people to get up and be active is worth celebrating.
No doubt, Nintendo is celebrating as well. Given the game's success over the weekend, the company's stock jumped up 25 percent on Monday, adding close to $9 billion in value to the company's name. For the last several years, Nintendo has expressed interest in tackling the quality of life market, releasing Wii and Wii U Fit, the Wii fitness board and looking for other fitness peripherals to adopt. The Wii in general, with its motion-sensing remote and number of games that require players to stand up and move around in front of their TV screen, also serve as prime examples of Nintendo's new outlook. The house of Mario wants to improve people's lives by using video games not only as entertainment, but as a tool for well-being.
With that in mind, Pokémon GO is, in many ways, the ultimate modern Nintendo game. It encourages players to be active and explore their surroundings. It encourages players to meet up and journey out together, whether to visit Pokestops or do battle with one another at a gym. All weekend long, complete strangers have met and found common ground through Pokémon GO, and that's something truly special. Whether it was the people I met walking down the street or the waiter I met while eating lunch with friends and family, Pokémon became a universal language that we all spoke.
It's annoying for some, sure. For those who don't "get it" and have grown tired of everybody and their mother talking about capturing Pokémon, the event that has become the game's release is no doubt tiresome. It's easy to be blind to the actual good Pokémon GO is bringing when you're not involved. If you're not a player and have the misfortune of having a home or local church that is a Pokestop or gym, having troves of people crowd around your safe place, phones in hand, isn't preferred.
However, in a world filled with mass shootings, corrupt politicians and so much hate, taking issue with a game that is bringing so much joy to so many is a tad disproportionate. People are finding common ground in a simple and fun game that encourages an active lifestyle and promotes local communities. With so much bad in the world, the fact that something as unlikely as Pokémon GO is bringing humanity a little closer together is well worth celebrating.
