Every Pokémon fan has dreamed of catching a Pikachu in real life, and now you can. As of July 6th, 2016 Niantic released the newest edition to the Pokémon franchise, the mobile game Pokémon Go. What fans never expected though, was to be robbed in the process of catching their favorite Pokémon.
At 2 a.m. in O'Fallon, Mo., local officers responded to a robbery report that led them to four people who were local residents that aged 16 to 18. The perpetrators were driving in a black BMW in a CVS parking lot, and when the officer approached the vehicle, they attempted to discard a handgun out of the car. Sgt. Bill Stringer stated that there were similar armed robberies in St. Louis and St. Charles counties.
The robbers were able to locate the players due to the Global Positioning System (GPS) that makes Pokémon Go, Pokémon Go. The game has various points of interest that other players can see, such as a wild Pokémon in the grass to a local/ historic landmark.
The game blends reality and virtual reality through an individuals cell phone. The game introduces Pokémon to areas that an everyday person can go to. Locations can vary from the Mississippi County Courthouse in Blytheville, to an open field near Big Lake. The game utilizes a GPS system into the game to introduce the idea of walking to catch the creatures.
As far as wandering around to collect Pokémon, the game can display Pokémon anywhere, inside of building, near residential areas, or even industrial areas. The Pokémon that are found depend on the level, with common types for low-level players, to the rarer variety for higher players.
The game does not function if one's phone is in their pocket, as it responds only when it recognizes that the player is looking directly at the screen. If the player were to stop and look around, the game's screen would dull and then after about two -- three minutes, the game would be in hibernation.
It should be noted that the game does provide a warning on the loading screen that reads, "Remember to be alert at all times. Stay aware of your surroundings." It also displays a player walking near a massive and menacing Pokémon that could potentially harm the player.
It's important to note that Niantic will be releasing a walker for the game that is connected via Bluetooth. With this device, the player will be able to play Pokémon Go without having to constantly look at the screen, and instead will be notified by the device that there is a Pokémon nearby, or anything else that may occur in the game. As it currently stands, the devices are sold out and the original price of $34.99 has skyrocketed on sites such as Ebay.