Pokemon takes to the streets, Riverdalians give chase

Posted

When “Pokemon Go” was released in the United States, the game’s developers and fans of the video game and television series knew it would be popular, but it would have been hard for anyone to predict the phenomenon that has followed the July 6 release.

The augmented-reality game for mobile devices is Nintendo’s first official foray into the realm of smartphones, and the innovative take on Pokemon video games, TV shows and movies has achieved astounding popularity throughout the U.S.

“Pokemon Go” brings the fictional world of Pokemon to real-world streets. Instead of sitting at home and playing, “Pokemon Go” users have to venture outside to look for wild Pokemon, as well as Pokestops and Pokemon gyms.

The game’s developers partnered with Google to generate accurate maps of a user’s location and local hotspots. Excitement for the game has skyrocketed so much that on July 14, T-Mobile announced it was offering customers free unlimited data in order to “take their ‘Pokemon Go’ skillz to a new level.”

Riverdale, of course, is no exception to the phenomenon, with numerous iconic spots being used a Pokestops -- locations where Pokemon trainers can get free items to help them catch and train their Pokemon. Northwest Bronx landmarks that have become Pokestops include the Riverdale Monument, Our Lady of Angels Church, the Raymond Kelly Student Commons at Manhattan College and Ewen Park.

At Poke-world gyms – locations that are usually anything but gyms in real life - players can fight head-to-head with one another in real time and take control of certain locations. Some of the busiest Pokemon gyms in the northwest Bronx are at the Riverdale Diner, located on W. 238th Street and Kingsbridge Avenue, Aesop’s Bench (also known as the Tortoise and the Hare statue) in Van Cortlandt Park and the Riverdale branch of the New York Public Library.

“It sort of was a surprise for me [when] I came back from vacation on and I saw a lot of new patrons at our branch,” said Rebecca Brown-Barbier, the Riverdale branch director. “I asked my staff and they told me what it was. At first I dismissed it, but there were more and more people doing the app, so I downloaded the app to my iPhone… We are trying to figure it out and make it work for the library.”

Ms. Brown-Barbier said she is using the app’s popularity to engage people who otherwise might not have come to the library. One advantage that adds to her efforts, she said, is the library’s air conditioning and free Wi-Fi.

“The library is not just about books – we are about learning,” she said. “I just had a mother come in with her son, and he caught the Pokemon, and I showed her how to evolve them. We are helping them with the app.”

Other local libraries are jealous of the Riverdale branch’s status as a gym, Ms. Brown-Barbier said. She wants her library staff to take control of the gym eventually and protect it from challenging patrons, she said.  

“Pokemon Go” developers did not consult with the thousands of businesses and organizations whose facilities appear in the game, and so many of those groups are still unaware that their sites have become Poke-world locations, such as gyms. But local players are all too familiar with these surroundings. 

Osbert Tejada, 23, a resident of Kingsbridge Heights, has been playing “Pokemon Go” since its release and has been a fan of the franchise since elementary school. He said that he mostly plays around Van Cortlandt Park and Lehman College with his friends, but thinks that the game is an “instant icebreaker” among fellow gamers.  

“When players run into each other, they already share a love of Pokemon that started when they were in elementary school,” he said. “It’s not uncommon for players to exchange contact information and agree to meet up again and catch Pokemon in the future.”

While Mr. Tejada said he recognizes the cons of “Pokemon Go,” such as muggers targeting players across the country to steal their smartphones, he is certain about at least one benefit: The game encourages players to get active. 

“I’ve walked so much playing this game that I’m considering buying a FitBit to track my steps,” he said. “Ten years ago people would have laughed at the thought of a video game making people get up and walk.”

Pokemon Go, NYPL, Tiffany Moustakas, Anthony Capote

Comments