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–3 votes
5.2k views
A big hype has begun about Pokemon Go.

What do you think about that new "competitor"?

Edit: Do you play that game by the way?
in Miscellaneous by Kodo-Jano (2.4k points)
edited by Kodo-Jano
That it would have been nice if it was released globally at launch.
Not released in most of Europe/world yet
Is it not launched everywhere allready?
No
http://www.polygon.com/2016/7/15/12196050/is-pokemon-go-out
Only US Australia and New Zeeland at launch.
UK, Germany, Spain, Italy and Portugal released later.

It's possible to install it on android from a APK file. But there might be problem if they disable/ban account from unreleased countries. I read something of disabled account.
I can understan why it is not a global release. The code has to be written for multiple servers and adding more should not be that hard.
Could be the best thing that has happened to geocaching since the introduction of smart phone apps. Pokemon Go is possibly a lot cooler for the audience that appears to lack some basic interest in finding out how to treat geocaches. Hopefully, they go chasing pokemons instead.

Then again, it could be the worst that has happened. Already there are reports about mindless behavior, causing traffic jams and near accidents. If this gets totally crazy, authorities may have to outlaw the game, and may prohibit also similar activities, ours included. It will be interesting to see. I certainly hope for the best.
The grandkids are more likely to join in geocaching now that they can play PokemonGo also.
I can't really see the competition. Pokemon Go is aimed at another market. GPS based, but that's it.
I tried PG for a week or so, but it quickly became boring. Geocaching is far from boring. Still after 8 years =o)
It's nothing for me. Geocaching is way more interesting than Pokemon. ;)

/B

32 Answers

+5 votes
There is no competition!
Everyone should play the what he wants.
Caching is and remains specially.
Look at the old caches, with their logs, the sides are long.
That's cache

Minos2003
by Minos2003 (4.8k points)
+4 votes
I think it is great. Any non-violent game that gets people out of the house and keeps them moving is a good idea. National health benefits from this. I've met so many young people already that told me they have walked over 20 kilometres this weekend just to hatch some Pokemon eggs. While normally they would just stay at home, lounge, drink, play a game at the computer, lounge a bit more and do not much else. Isn't that just great?

And no! Why would this game be competition to Geocaching? They're both quite different in the way they work and the appeal they have to people. So no competition in my book. And even if there was competition: so what?
by NLBokkie (3.3k points)
Good point! Totally agree with that.
+3 votes
It could give us less "TFTC" ;)
by daffodil74 (720 points)
We will see. ;)
+3 votes

I have never played Pokemons. In my opinion is it just short term fashion wave with main goal to earn lot of money from advertising. Few months ago was pokemons everywhere and now? Now is no word about it. For me was most disturbing on that game (as I know) that there was no rule for showing pokemons. They was everywhere, at prohibited places too, so this game was sometimes little bit dangereous. As I read people was like out of senses and without any scruples or thoughts run through fences, military areas, middle of streets etc...

I rather stay with geocaching laugh

by drobec (4.5k points)
+2 votes
I think it is only a hype for some time.

I don't like it and will never be a part of that game...
by Torsten007_Urmel (6.1k points)
+2 votes
Maybe people get used to persons walking around with a smartphone in the hand and doing weird things. So playing a Wherigo gets less conspicuous...
by tadaima (12.5k points)
+1 vote

Well. If I talk to Pokemon Go - players and tell them something about Geocaching, they say, we´re oldtimer.

laughlaughlaugh

by Kodo-Jano (2.4k points)
+1 vote
I don't really see that as a competitor - it is too virtual for me. I would also expect the hype to disappear soon as I do not see a long-term thing to keep up the interest. Most things work just for money and one gives away large amounts of data that likely will lead to mass advertising soon. It may distract from cachers (as tadaime pointed out already) for a while, though. Well, and no, I am not going to start with that...
by Domino_67 (6.8k points)
edited by Domino_67
+1 vote
Me too - I think it's just short-term hype thanks to good marketing and first-of-a-kind effect (not really, I know).

I know what I'm talking about - I have it installed for 2 weeks, I reached level 5, but getting bored of the game already. It's too simple, too repetitive, same few actions you can do. NOTHING compared to geocaching which surprises me still after 11 years of playing.
by Rikitan (3.6k points)
+1 vote
The good thing about PokemonGo is that Geocaching possibly somewhat disengaged from the mainstream focus.
by Torsten007_Urmel (6.1k points)
Yeah, I agree!
+1 vote
Luckily my phone doesn't support Pokemon yet...  seems like it would be another distraction to getting things accomplished.
by SCPA Backpackers (1.7k points)
+1 vote
I think the game is quite boring, I will stay with geocaching ;)
by Flep98 (1.1k points)
+1 vote
By now, it has mostly faded out, but geocaching is still going strong. I guess it's easy to see which is more dominant.
by Potatonator (11.3k points)
+1 vote
I think it's a cute alternative but still - geocaching is geocaching... I don't have so much time and energy to play both so I have chosen geocaching :-)
by Azeret6 (830 points)
+1 vote
I'm quite pleased that the Pokemon go fad has gone away. What a load of codswallop it was
by NSCR (4.5k points)
+1 vote

Okay. After one year I can say, that pokemon go is not a big competitor.  cool

by Kodo-Jano (2.4k points)
edited by Kodo-Jano
0 votes

There's a headline on the BBC news website today about the dangers of playing Pokémon Go in a minefield (link). As I've never played it, nor am I likely to, this got me wondering: who decides where the virtual locations are, and is there any form of regulation? We can sometimes moan about the review process for geocaching, but without it I'm sure geocaching would be a lot worse.

by Optimist on the run (Expert) (20.2k points)
I've read that there are also pokemon on graveyards, in churches, in german KZ  and other places where there should be none...
There's some interesting information here: http://www.gamesradar.com/why-your-local-church-and-water-towers-are-pokemon-go-gyms-and-pokestops/# it seems at least some of the locations are based on the companies previous game (ingress) which did review user submitted locations, some are based on popular geotagged photos on google. From the sounds of it the actual location of pokemon are random and can appear anywhere - which really sounds like a dangerous and stupid design to me.
@ tadaima: I know of geocaches on graveyards, in churches, in german KZ and other places where you should not expect one . . .
0 votes
Depending on how business owners, parks officials, etc. react to the players and how well they behave it may make it more difficult to get permission to place caches in those spaces. Let's hope that's not the case.
by Mike Fitz (5.0k points)
0 votes
I think it is a hype. Yes of course we will loose some traditional cachers. But all cachers who like a walk in nature, an adventure in lost places or a tricky mystery will stay Geocachers. I'm not afraid about our Hobby.
by nico63 (590 points)
0 votes
I think géocaching is a game with plenty of plaisir divertified ... so i don't have so much time to try pokémon go

i like when there is no competition and more coopération ... so i think the compétition player could like this other game
by Chup'a (11.2k points)
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