They say dog walkers always find the bodies. Well, it has sometimes felt a bit like that playing Pokémon Go. Over the past five years I’ve ended up in some unexpected places, sometimes at odd times of day and, as a result, in some strange situations.
I’ve been lucky enough to travel a bit, walk a lot, and make lovely friends because of Pokémon Go. I have seen people meet because of this game and get engaged. I have seen others leave marriages and settle down with Pokémon Go players they have found. I’ve seen first hand how it has helped people get through some incredibly tough times.
Here’s a few stories, in order to celebrate this week’s Pokémon Go fifth anniversary.
Pokémon GO 5 Year Anniversary Celebration! Watch on YouTube
I moved out of central Brighton around six years ago, and for almost a year really didn’t know anyone around me or any of my surroundings. I remember my parents visiting and asking if I’d visited some local landmark they’d gone to see that morning. I had no idea it existed. Then along came Pokémon Go, pushing me around my local area, which was already filled with in-game locations to uncover. Working in Brighton, too, was a real blessing. At lunch we’d leave the office in groups to catch creatures, or run outside mid-afternoon en masse if something rare turned up nearby. To Eurogamer’s credit, this never resulted in a disciplinary.