I was out of the country at the beginning of July, when Pokémon Go was released, and when I came back it was filling every social media feed I had! The game smashed Apple's first-week app download records, and has since become a huge cultural phenomenon. Whether you play Pokémon Go or not, hate it or love it, it is inarguable that it represents something important in the way that people are interacting with technology. When I noticed that a "Near a PokéStop" filter had been added to Yelp searches, I knew this wasn't just a new version of Candy Crush.
Pokémon Go Gameplay
So what is it? Pokémon Go is a free phone app for Android and iOS. It uses your phone's GPS to gauge your location, and shows you Pokémon characters and other game locations layered over Google maps. Your role is a Pokémon trainer whose goal is to "catch 'em all." As you move through the real world (getting people out and about is the stated purpose of the game, which seems to have worked) you are shown various Pokémon that you have to catch by approaching them in physical space (that's where the GPS comes in) and tossing a virtual PokéBall at them. When you are close to the GPS-defined location of a Pokémon in the game, you see the animated character layered over the real world, as seen through your camera. By combining the real and the virtual, Pokémon Go is one of the first mainstream augmented reality games, overlaying computer-generated images on what you are really seeing through the camera on your phone.
Already, organizations and businesses of all types are tying to figure out how to capitalize on Pokémon Go to attract players. Particularly sought-out locales, called "PokéStops" and "Gyms," tend to have high numbers of catchable Pokémon, and are places to improve skills, battle and level-up, which in turn makes them congregating spaces for players. PokéStops seem to be assigned to locations semi-randomly; you could previously request a PokéStop, but not any longer. But if your business or location happens to be one of these, you are in luck.
Even if your business has not been pre-assigned as a PokéStop, for a few dollars, businesses (or anyone) can purchase a "lure" which temporarily attracts Pokémon - and their seekers - to their location. You can also attract Pokémon Go Players to your location through social media, by providing incentives for members of certain teams, or discounts with screenshots of rare Pokémon. Other businesses are luring in players with more traditional tactics like offering free water and swag to bring in players or creating Pokémon-themed specials. Pokémon Go may not be around forever, or it may be overtaken by other experiences, but it certainly has shown us the next frontier of augmented reality. People are becoming more and more comfortable with incorporating virtual experiences into their real lives, and Pokémon Go is just the start.