Pokémon Go (stylized as Pokémon GO) is a free-to-play, location-based augmented reality, multiplayer mobile role-playing game in the Pokémon series developed and published by Niantic for iOS and Android devices and was originally released in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand on July 6, 2016. In the game, players use GPS-enabled mobile devices with the ability to find, capture, fight, and train virtual creatures called Pokémon that appear onscreen as if they were in the same real-life location as the player. The game supports in-app purchases for additional in-game items.
In just a week after the release, the game gained great popularity. Pokémon Go received mixed reviews on release from critics, who praised the game’s concept and incentive to be more active in the real world, while criticizing the frequent technical bugs that were evident upon launch. Despite such reviews, it quickly became a global phenomenon and was one of the most used mobile apps, reportedly being downloaded by more than 100 million people worldwide, and the total earnings from the game, according to Sensortower, has already amounted to more than 440 million dollars[ nine].
She has been credited with popularizing location-based games and augmented reality, as well as encouraging physical activity. However, it also caused a controversy for its contribution to accidents and public disorder in some places (the first state to completely ban the game on its territory is Iran [10]). At the moment, all Pokémon of the first, second, third are present in the game (except for the ) and fourth (with the exception of some Pokémon), as well as some of the first generation Pokémon, among them the initial ones: Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle and Pikachu.
In the second half of February 2017, the game received its first major update, which added over 80 Pokémon from the Johto region. There are also two new berries: nanab, which slows down the movement of the Pokémon, and pinup, which doubles the number of candies received when capturing a virtual monster[11].
After creating a game account, the player creates an avatar by selecting gender, hair, skin and eye color, style and outfit[12][13]: after creation, the avatar is displayed on the map using the player’s current geographic location. There are special points on the map: pokestops (eng. PokéStops) and gyms (gym – gym). PokéStops provide players with items such as Pokémon Eggs, Poké Balls, Berries, and Elixirs, and can also be equipped with a lure module, a lure for wild Pokémon[14][15]. Gyms serve as a place for team games in the king of the hill format[16]: as a rule, they are located in attractions[17]. These locations are redesigned portals from Ingress, Niantic’s previous augmented reality game[18].
As the player moves in the real world, the avatar moves around the game map. Different types of Pokémon live in different places in the world: for example, water-type Pokémon tend to be found near water.[19] When a player encounters a Pokémon, they can view it in augmented reality (AR) mode or live playback against a general background[20]. AR mode uses the cameras and gyroscope on your mobile device to display the Pokémon as if it were in the real world[21]. The player can also take screenshots of Pokémon they encounter while in AR mode[22].
Unlike other games in the Pokémon series, in Pokémon Go, players do not fight wild Pokémon to capture them, but simply catch them: when encountering a wild Pokémon, the player can throw a Poké Ball at it by shaking it from the bottom of the screen up to the side pokemon. If the Pokémon was successfully caught, it will become the property of the player. Capture success factors include correct strength, timing, and the type of Poké Ball used. After capturing wild Pokemon, the player receives two types of in-game resources: candies (candies) and “stardust” (stardust).
A different candy is used for each evolutionary chain of Pokemon, consisting of 1-3 types of Pokemon, usually having adjacent numbers in the Pokedex (for example, Pikachu and Raichu). Stardust and candies are used to level up Pokémon and, as a result, increase their “combat power” (BS; combat power, CP). Evolving Pokémon requires only candy of the appropriate type. The player can also transfer Pokémon to the Pokémon Professor, for which he receives a candy of the same type.[23]. Another way to get Pokémon is to “go out” Pokémon eggs in an incubator.
The player always has one “eternal” incubator: additional incubators for a limited number of hatched eggs can be bought in the game or obtained upon reaching certain levels. The eggs themselves randomly drop out of PokeStops or gifts from friends and come in four types according to the distance that must be traveled before the Pokemon hatches. The distance varies from 2 km to 10 km, and the set of Pokémon that can be obtained varies depending on the numerous events[24]. Additionally, you can buy baits “Incense” (incense), which will run wild Pokémon, making it easier to catch them. The ultimate goal of the game is to complete the entries in the Pokédex, the comprehensive encyclopedia of Pokémon, through capture and evolution, to obtain the original 151 Pokémon[note 1][25].
All Pokémon are displayed with Combat Strength (BS)[26]. A Pokémon’s combat strength is a measure of how strong a Pokémon is in combat. Not all Pokémon of the same species have the same BS. As the player’s level increases, they begin to come across Pokémon with higher BS[27].
As the game progresses, the avatar levels up. Experience is given for various actions in the game world: catching Pokemon, fighting “bosses”, reaching various “levels of friendship” with other players, fighting in Gyms and raids, and evolving already caught Pokemon. At the fifth level, the player gets the opportunity to join one of three factions, which opens up the opportunity to interact with the Gyms. Red for the Valor team with the Moltres mascot; blue – for the Mystic team with the Articuno mascot; or yellow for the Instinct team with the Zapdos mascot. If players end up in a “Gym” that is controlled by players from a different faction, they can challenge them and,
if successful, take control of the gym. During the first 11 months of the game, this involved fighting enemy Pokémon placed in the Gym. With each victory, there was a decrease in the “prestige” of the “gym”. As soon as the “prestige” of the “gym” dropped to zero, the player took control of it and got the opportunity to install one Pokémon. In addition, the team could increase the “prestige” of their “gym” by fighting with the “gym leader”: when the level of the “gym” rose.
