By Luz Mosquera
The Pokémon franchise began with childhood anime that quickly became famous before expanding to include trading cards, video games, and movies. Last summer, Pokémon GO was released and quickly blew up with millions downloading the app worldwide.
According to Apple, Pokémon GO shattered the App Store record for most downloads in its first week of availability.
A mobile phone app has enabled players to play Pokémon without being limited to having to sit in front of the T.V. with controllers and it’s forced players to venture outside in order to catch Pokémon— different from playing on another handheld console in that Pokémon are now scattered around cities and the goal is to capture as many Pokémon as possible.
Shortly after it’s release, Pokémon GO was downloaded by people of all ages in several countries who brought positive feedback as they left home and walked around their neighborhoods or parks during their search for Pokémon.
Some businesses took advantage of having Poké-Stops in their stores and made players buy an item in order to capture a Pokémon or gave a free item to players with a certain amount of Pokémon in their collection. Many franchises profited from the game as players bought Pokémon themed items and accessories.
Although Pokémon GO was at it’s peak for a while, bad reviews and safety concerns still plagued the app. According to USA TODAY, people were too engrossed in the game, causing it to interfere with their safety and the safety of others.
In Guatemala, one teen was shot while trying to break into a house to capture a Pokémon. There were some cases where people would stop in the street or sharply turn while driving while playing the game, causing some streets to put up signs to notify drivers about risks and safety precautions.
Weeks after the release of the new app, the attention Pokémon GO recieved slowly simmered down. People aren’t as active in the game as they used to be; despite its success, Pokémon GO seems to have been just another trend.