By now, you’ve probably been alerted to the overnight sensation that is Pokémon Go by the internet buzz, strange behavior on the streets, and watercooler talk. No, you haven’t traveled back in time to 1997. This is an entirely new brand of Pokémania that went viral in just a few days by hitting a sweet spot of nostalgia, new technology, and shareability.
The free, augmented reality mobile game uses your smartphone’s GPS and clock to give the illusion of Pokémon wandering around the real world, just waiting to be captured. The game rose to the top of iTunes charts faster than you could evolve your Jigglypuff into a Wigglytuff — and if that sounds like utter nonsense to you, we’re here to help.
On this week’s episode of Generation App, Sylvia Artiga, a self-proclaimed geek and program manager at Seattle Works, and GeekWire intern David Schwartz explain Pokémon Go to those of us completely bewildered by the phenomenon.
We dive into the history of Pokémon and the companies behind it. We also discuss the game that set the groundwork to make Pokémon Go possible, tips for people just getting started and theories on why the game became so popular, so quickly. Plus hear whether our guests think Pokémon Go is just a fad or here to stay. Listen below!
For more on Pokémon Go, check out our App of the Week review.
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