Pokémon GO, Making The World A More Socially Active Place!

One of the most anticipated games in years was released on Android and iOS this month, and you've probably already heard of it. But in case you haven’t, that game is Pokémon GO!

Pokémon GO is a free-to-play augmented reality game for phones that was developed and published by Niantic. Players can use their phones' GPS to locate and capture Pokémon that appear on the screen to look as if they were in the same real-world location as the player.

It is encouraging people from all over the world to get out and have fun and meet new people, as the game requires you to physically travel to catch Pokémon.

Some businesses are also using it to their advantage. The game marks some businesses as "PokéStops", which provide players with in-game items such as eggs, Poké Balls and potions. And some offer special promotions as a reward if you reach a certain level or have a certain Pokémon. The game has already hugely increased foot traffic around populated areas, and local businesses are seeing huge benefits.

Pokémon GO is quite popular in offices as well, and there are a few players in our own SalesSense offices, swapping stories, boasting about rare Pokémon they've captured and anticipating the day when the app adds features like player-to-player Pokémon battles so they can test their skills against each other. It has made the office a more social and physically active place, with employees going for walks at lunchtime to hunt for Pokémon, and has brought a lot of people together.