Pokémon Go, one of the most popular mobile games to date, is an augmented reality (AR) app available for smartphones. The game has already made waves on social media for its uniqueness ever since its launch during the first week this month. Developed by Niantic for iOS and Android devices, Pokémon Go is a location-based game that encourages players to explore their environment while trying to catch as many Pokémon as possible. In less than a month, the game has had more than 75 million downloads across iOS and Android platforms, which is a testament to its popularity among users.
While most mobile games often lack a social component and don’t require much (if any) physical activity, Pokémon Go has made headlines for its physical and social benefits. The free-to-play mobile game was initially praised for encouraging players (also known as trainers) to get up and walk. The main display is a Google map that contains “Poké Stops,” which are created by using landmarks such as buildings, businesses, or major attractions. Trainers are supposed to locate and determine the areas in which certain Pokémon are most likely to be found.
Health and social impact of Pokémon Go
Whenever a new game is launched, its health and social impact is analysed in order to determine if it has anything more to offer other than basic entertainment value. The same goes for Pokémon Go, also known as PoGo. One major health benefit of the game is that it requires players to walk in order to catch Pokémon and access specific locations called Poke Stops. Poke Stops are places where players can find eggs, Poké Balls, and other necessary items. The process of reaching Poke Stops, catching different Pokémon, and hatching eggs requires players to walk a great deal, encouraging physical exercise and giving them the ability to track the distance they cover.
Pokémon Go also encourages exploration and discovery of local areas and beyond. In fact, several tourism agencies and independent guides have leveraged the game in order to create events and attract customers.
Returning to the subject of physical benefit, some children’s hospitals are using Pokémon Go to encourage children to get active and socialize. Autism experts have found that the game is highly beneficial for children with autism, as it encourages them to be more social and engaged. Most importantly, Pokémon Go has been actively bringing people together, creating a sense of community spirit and wellness.
Overall, Pokémon Go is a clear example of how physical education and technology can be successfully combined. Physical education technology has resulted in the emergence of a number of self-directed learning apps that users can easily download and use as a guide for their daily physical workout sessions. Analysts at Technavio predict that the global physical education technology market will generate a revenue of nearly $8 billion by 2020.
Some of the leading vendors in the global physical education technology market include Interactive Health Technologies, Polar Electro, Gopher Sport, and School Specialty.
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