Social Benefits
Pokémon Go has fostered social benefits by encouraging players to explore their communities together, ultimately, forging connections among diverse individuals. The game's design as a shared experience has created inclusive spaces, breaking down barriers and bringing people together in pursuit of a common and enjoyable goal
Helps Bridge Generational Gaps
It was found that Pokemon Go improved parent-child relationships by creating a common topic among the family, family members participating in cooperative gaming, training children to classify things and use logic, and fostering child independence (Lin et al., 2020). Since Pokemon Go has a user-friendly interface, grandparents, parents, and children play the game together, thus deepening their relationship through a shared hobby. Additional, because of Pokemon Go's educational benefit, parents often encourage their children to partake in the game.
Inclusive Gameplay
Pokemon Go incorporates universal appeal, inclusive settings, and physical accessibility which allows users from all demographics to participate. Pokemon has a generational appeal that encourages all ages to participate, it is available everywhere from urban to rural communities so users can play virtually anywhere, and while physical movement is integral to gameplay, with the need for social distancing, Pokemon made accommodations so people with different abilities can now engage (Francis, 2020). This inclusive environment will help people of a variety of backgrounds get connected!
Community Building
Since the Pokemon franchise has been recurring over multiple age brackets, all generations enjoy the game Pokemon Go. Users must work together to defeat gyms and raids and can battle against each other to gain coins and rewards that are useful in leveling up. Thus, this generational bridge along with the need for other players to advance in the game encourages family and community interactions (Kamboj & Krishna, 2017). Overall, due to shared experiences, local exploration, and team-based gameplay Pokemon Go has strengthened local communities.
Reduced Social Isolation
Pokémon GO has reduced social isolation by promoting outdoor activity, fostering community engagement through real-world events, and encouraging players to connect with others who share a common interest in the game. The game's design, emphasizing teamwork, collaboration, and shared exploration, has facilitated meaningful social interactions among players, mitigating feelings of isolation. 88% of respondents reported meeting someone through the app (Sagarin et al., 2023). The app encourages face-to-face interaction which provides social immersion to users and encourages community bonding amongst players.
Health Benefits
Pokémon Go has contributed to health benefits by motivating players to engage in physical activity through walking and exploration, promoting a more active lifestyle. The game encourages exercise and has been linked to increased physical fitness and well-being among its player base.
Increased Physical Activity
It was discovered that Pokemon Go has led to a significant increase in physical activity for a 30-day period. In regards to short-term activity, on average there is a more than 25% increase in activity compared to prior to downloading the app across the board for all demographics (Althoff et al., 2016). Unlike other games, Pokemon Go requires their users to walk around in order to catch Pokemon, spin Pokestops, battle in gyms, and hatch eggs. This clearly displayed the exercise benefits that this game will provide users (Kamboj & Krishna, 2017).
Exploration and Innovation
The game motivates players to explore their surroundings in search of Pokémon, PokéStops, and Gyms, fostering a sense of curiosity and adventure. This has led to increased foot traffic in various locations and players discovering hidden gems and previously unnoticed landmarks in their cities (Medium, 2023). The game's periodic events and special features often introduce novel gameplay elements, driving players to adapt and innovate their strategies. Pokémon GO stimulates innovation by consistently introducing new challenges.
Increased Time Spend Outside
Due to the fact that a large portion of Pokemon Go requires walking places to explore new areas in order to rapidly advance levels, increased time spent outside is often an effect of playing the game. Thus, users gain fresh air, sunlight, and Vitamin D benefits from traveling outside more frequently (Kamboj & Krishna, 2017). This blend of technology and outdoor exploration has motivated players to spend more time in parks, public spaces, and nature, promoting a healthier and more active lifestyle.
Targets Low Activity Groups
While obesity increases so does our reliance on smartphones each year, which is why they are the perfect tool to use to try and combat the issue (Kamboj & Krishna, 2017). This has huge implications for public health because while the leading health apps gain a lot of followers from an already active population, Pokemon Go is able to reach a niche audience, being low activity populations (Althoff et al., 2016). Thus, in the future Pokemon Go can investigate how to transfer these health benefits into long-term effects for their users.
Cultural Benefits
Pokémon Go has imparted cultural benefits by weaving a tapestry of shared experiences and connections among its diverse player base. The game has revitalized local communities, promoted cultural appreciation, and served as a catalyst for social interactions in public spaces
Educational Opportunities
While primarily designed as an entertainment game, Pokémon GO has unintentionally presented various educational opportunities for players. Pokemon Go helps children learn pattern recognition, using logic, geographic knowledge when exploring surroundings, biomes and different species, historical knowledge from visiting PokeStops on culturally significant locations and landmarks, hand-eye coordination, meta-cognition, and problem-solving and critical thinking to solve challenges and puzzles. Its immersive and interactive nature allows incidental learning across various subjects and skills (Farber, 2016).
Engagement With Local Businesses
Niantic strategically designates real-world businesses as PokéStops and Gyms, creating points of interest where players can collect items, battle, and participate in events. This not only drives potential customers to these establishments but also fosters a sense of community. 35% of respondents reported patronizing a new business due to Pokemon Go (Sagarin et al., 2023). The game also offers opportunities for businesses to become sponsored locations, providing exclusive in-game benefits and encouraging players to interact with and support these enterprises. Pokemon Go events have contributed over $300M to local economies in 2022 (Niantic Labs)
Cultural Celebrations & Events
Pokémon GO has incorporated cultural celebrations and events into its gameplay, providing an opportunity for players to learn about and celebrate diverse cultural practices. The game developers regularly organize special events that align with real-world cultural moments and holidays, including seasonal events, local festivals and holidays, community days, and cultural landmarks. For example, in October 2023 Pokemon Go hosted events for "Día de Muertos," a holiday commonly celebrated in Mexico, which ultimately boosted users in other country's cultural awareness and appreciation for the holiday (Pokemon Go Live).
Technological Advancements
Pokémon GO brought about significant technological advancements by pioneering the widespread use of augmented reality (AR) in mobile gaming. This breakthrough not only transformed the gaming experience but also showcased the potential of AR technology for creating immersive and interactive applications. In 2016, when people were just trying our VR, which was highly isolating, Pokemon turned in a different direction by making AR mainstream and an overwhelmingly social experience (CNET, 2017). Pokémon GO's success has the potential to inspire developers to explore new possibilities for combining digital content with the real world.
