Top 7 Strange Facts About Pokemon Go
Initially created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1995, Pokemon has went on to become more than just
a success - its widespread popularity has cemented its place as both an entertainment
and cultural phenomenon. With numbers steadily increasing since the release of the new augmented
reality app, Pokemon Go, in July 2016. Just like with anything - where there's people,
there's craziness to be had - so today, let's look at seven strange facts about this massively
popular addition to Pokemon's extensive list of games and entertainment titles.
Number seven - the game is HUGE.
In only a matter of a few days after its release - Pokemon Go was downloaded more times than
the popular dating and hookup app, Tinder - with the staggering numbers predicted to
surpass even the daily users of the social media juggernaut Twitter. Not only that - according
to statistics, users spent almost double the time playing the game than they did using
Snapchat, WhatsApp, Instagram and even Facebook in the first week of release alone. The kicker?
At the time of this being written, this unexpected runaway hit hasn't even been released to every
region of the world yet - with numbers expected to rise astronomically after the remaining
European and Asian markets get a hold of the app.
Number six - people were fooled by hackers.
Speaking of the countries and regions that haven't gotten this yet - early excited fans
in the UK downloaded the game - not realizing that what they really just installed was a
malicious version of the program designed to allow hackers in. Cybersecurity researchers
discovered the app (which comes infected with a remote access tool called "Droidjack") three
days after the official release in New Zealand and Australia - pointing out that the security
vulnerability could allow ne'er-do-wells full control of the victim's phone - including
opening backdoors on compromised devices as a way to steal and send private and sensitive
information. Although iOS users aren't affected, fans are recommended to be safe and smart.
Number five - there's fine print.
Although the app is a free download (with occasional in-game purchases) and is totally
free to play - it doesn't come without the fine print. It's no secret that the game's
developer Niantic has been receiving a tremendous amount of personal information. However, after
RedOwl data architect Adam Reeve made a startling discovery - it was shared to Reddit (where
it quickly made the rounds). He noticed that when a user logs in using their Google account,
it gives the app absolute full permission to access it - meaning you're potentially
allowing them to read and send out emails from your account, access your documents,
view your search and maps history and even access your private photos. Yikes. We recommend
to tread carefully.
Number four - the app is full of strange things.
Users from around the world have been commenting on the strange places the app is sending them
- since players are sent to physical locations to pick up items, upgrades or play certain
aspects of the game, people have found themselves taken to some rather odd places. An Australian
police department had to issue a statement asking players not to enter their facilities
to play the game - while other odd places include graveyards (and we mean actual graveyards
- users have had to physically go inside), strip clubs, toilets, churches, synagogues
and even London's MI5 security agency headquarters. The developers claim to have recycled map
locations from a previously designed game, but still - weird.
Number three - it's causing robberies.
Okay, maybe the game ITSELF isn't causing robberies - but enterprising criminals in
Missouri have taken it upon themselves to exploit the gameplay to setup some real-world
stickups. Four men aged 16-18 were arrested by the O'Fallon Police Department in July
for armed robbery. Although the plan was heinous, it certainly was creative - as the men used
in-game features to attract and lure people nearby to their location, robbing eight or
nine individuals over the course of a few days as they approached. Because the users
were distracted with the game, they rarely saw it coming - however after multiple police
reports, authorities got wind and quickly apprehended this gang of Poke-robbers.
Number two - it's causing some serious distractions.
21 year old Michael Baker was playing the game in Forest Grove, Oregon when he noticed
another passerby approaching. After asking the incoming man if he was also playing the
game, Baker found himself with a knife in his stomach - according to the witness, "I
saw him go by and asked if he was playing Pokémon Go. He was like ‘what?’ I guess
he wanted to battle because he came up at me with a knife. I didn’t expect it to
happen…it was pretty brief and fast, just slice and ran.” However, instead of seeking
treatment, he continued playing the game for quite some time before receiving eight stitches
at the hospital. When asked why he didn't stop he said: "...it’s very important to
me, I gotta pretty much catch ‘em all.”
Number one - it's led to at least one horrifying discovery.
Just two days after the game's release, 19 year old Riverton, Wyoming resident Shayla
Wiggins was playing the game when she hopped over a fence near a river in search of a "water
Pokémon". As she approached a bridge, she spotted something floating in the Wind River
- except it wasn't a game character. After authorities arrived, it was confirmed she
had found the deceased body of 28 year old Arapahoe resident Jeffrey Day, said to have
been there for probably less than 24 hours due to an accidental drowning. After the incident,
Wiggins was quoted saying she never DID find the Pokemon she climbed the fence for, but
since her startling discovery - she hasn't gotten the chance to play much more anyhow.
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