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How Pokémon Go encouraged me to find wonder in the world
A Guardian writer marks Pokémon Go's tenth anniversary by reflecting on how the augmented-reality game, which has been downloaded 800 million times across 150 countries and has seen a trillion Pokémon caught, reshaped their relationship with the outside world. Released in 2016, the game turned ordinary walks around the writer's home town of Frome into adventures, and its social gym-battle feature gave their autistic son a new way to connect with other children.
Though their sons have since grown up, the writer says the game's underlying habit never fully left them, evolving instead into a collection of nature and tracking apps used on every walk. These include Seek, which identifies plants via image recognition; the Merlin Bird ID app for identifying birdsong; and Flightradar24 and MarineTraffic for tracking planes and ships. The writer credits Pokémon Go with instilling a lasting, almost childlike curiosity about everyday surroundings, turning the natural world into what they describe as a vast, playable space full of small discoveries.
In short
- Pokémon Go turns 10; downloaded 800m times, a trillion Pokémon caught
- Writer says the game reshaped how they explore the real world
- Now uses apps like Seek and Merlin Bird ID to "collect" nature
Explained simply
Pokémon Go is a mobile game released in 2016, in which players use their phones to find and catch virtual creatures shown in real-world locations. Its augmented reality features combine digital images with a phone’s camera view, while shared locations and gym battles can bring players together.
The game became a global hit, with hundreds of millions of downloads. Its design encourages people to walk around and notice places nearby, and some players have used that habit to connect with others or explore their surroundings.
Similar apps can identify plants and birds or show the movement of ships and aircraft. Together, these tools offer another way to learn about what is happening in the world around you.
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