Pokémon GO is literally everywhere: even for those who don't play it.
The game is now responsible for many stories about the best (and occasionally, the worst) of humanity, but the trend that started several weeks ago shows no signs of abating.
In an effort to "catch them all," many Pokémon GO fans recently gathered in a Chicago park — much like players do in nearly every U.S. city — to search for PokéStops, gyms and sightings of rare creatures. That crowd gathered together in one place and made some new friends and topped off their Pokémon GO quests with the Pokémon theme song.
"I wanna be the very best," players sing. "Like no one ever was. To catch them is my real test. To train them is my cause."
Watch the inspirational video of a group of strangers coming together to sing about their love of Pokémon:
Although some people have done crazy things in their Pokémon GO mission, there's no denying that the good that the game has brought out in people far outweighs the bad. Not only are people going outside and getting a lot of exercise in their Pokémon hunts, but they're also meeting up with like-minded people and making new friends, and it's due to a shared love of little creatures such as Pikachu.
Some charities have even jumped on board and encouraged gamers to also download apps that use walking to benefit them while they play the game, while local businesses have embraced the phenomenon and landed a lot of new business from players.
Players also report that the game has mental health benefits, helping many to battle depression and feelings of helplessness and loneliness. It has also helped those who have problems developing relationships with others to come out of their shells and make more friends, too.
Even the friendly competitive component of Pokémon GO seems to offer players a small dose of happiness, particularly in a world where the news is often bad. The three major Pokémon GO teams often meet up all over the world and have friendly battles over gyms, with picking a team now becoming a rite of passage.
Perhaps the most interesting trend, though, is the diversity of Pokémon GO players: people of all ages, genders, races and backgrounds have signed up and logged many hours in hunting down creatures. Pokémon GO has done something society itself hasn't been capable of: bring people together in a world that has become more divisive.
