It’s a Saturday evening, and Anna Nagar Tower Park is crowded as usual — runners concentrate on the track, children swing across the jungle gym and couples share a moment in shaded nooks. And then, a group of kids walking with their noses buried in their smartphones suddenly stops in its tracks and shrieks, “Catch it, catch it.”
But, take a closer look. It’s not just teenagers. Men and women in their 20s and 30s are also behaving strangely. They stand alone facing walls, swiping the screen furiously. They mutter and, sometimes, swear, and then jump in excitement before wandering away, waving their phones in different directions. A few hundred people behave the same way.
For the clueless, these are Pokémon Go players, and they’re at the city’s first-ever PokéWalk. Millennials, who have grown up with the lovable animated characters, are now getting off the couch and out of their homes to play this augmented reality game in the real world. It basically involves using the app to go “catch” Pokémon and add them to your collection. These creatures can then be used to battle with other players and their Pokémon. If it’s all too confusing for you, refer to our ready reckoner.
When freelance illustrator and designer Karthik Arvind decided to make an event on Facebook inviting friends to join him on a PokéWalk at the Tower Park, he had no idea what he had inadvertently done. “I created the event at around 11p.m. By the time I woke up next morning, it had blown up — over 1,000 people were interested and more than 500 were going. I didn’t expect it to do so well,” he says, excited by the number of people who actually turned up.
The game has officially been launched in the U.S., Canada, most countries in Europe (except France and Russia) and Australia, but Asia, South America, Africa and West Asia are still waiting. Android users can download an APK file that lets you install the app directly on your phone instead of going through Google Play. iOS users have several “hacks” to get the game; one of this includes borrowing the Apple ID and password of someone who lives in a country where it has already been released, downloading the game and then signing out.
PokéWalks are being organised across the country, but this was the first such event in the city. It’s clear that this game is here to stay, at least for a while. A number of closed groups have come up on Facebook to help players. Unofficial Pokémon Go India Twitter handles promise #FollowBacks, hints and guides to gyms. And people are going around Chennai on scooters, autos, and, if you’re like me, convincing the family to stop the car near a particular post office so that I can catch one on my way home.
Pooja, who was at the PokéWalk, says: “I live right next to the park, so I thought it would be a good idea to come by and see how many I could catch. I didn’t think there would be so many people around; it’s amazing how much a game can change people’s behaviour.”
That’s something being both praised and criticised at the moment. While the game has got people outdoors, they are still stuck to their phones. Rajesh, who turned up with a couple of power banks to fuel his phone, says, “Here, we’ve met so many new people we would never have had the opportunity to meet otherwise. It’s a way of socialising.”
While no one is as far gone in the city yet as New Zealand man Tom Currie, who quit his job to catch Pokémon full-time, it isn’t implausible to imagine people taking time off to dedicate to the game. After all, you gotta catch ’em all.
Your guide to Pokémon Go
What are Pokémon?
Pokémon are creatures of all shapes and sizes who live in the wild or alongside humans. They usually do not speak, except to utter their names. They are raised and commanded by their trainers, who travel around catching more creatures. There are over 700 in the universe.
What do they do?
During their adventures, Pokémon grow and become more experienced and even evolve into stronger Pokémon.
What is Pokémon Go?
An augmented reality game where Pokémon appear in designated spots, and players (as trainers) can catch them.
Pokémon Go terms
Pokeball
A red-and-white sphere that’s virtually thrown at the Pokémon to catch them.
Pokestop
A place on the map where Pokémon can be found. If the app is running, your phone will vibrate to indicate that a Pokémon is near.
Gyms
Not that place where you have a membership and never turn up. This is where you can use your Pokémon to battle other trainers to win coins and other power-ups.
