Pokemon Go was released the past summer, and was introduced to a lot of public acclaim. For months(and even now) the world saw everyone walking around glued to their phones trying to catch digital creatures.
The game was groundbreaking to say, because it was on the forefront of a new generation of games. It showed the new technology of augmented reality, especially on such a large scale integration of mobile technology and real life. It also motioned at video games that lead to a real life connection with other people.
Above is a picture where over 5000 people showed up for a Pokemon go gathering.
Pokemon Go shows that innovation clearly does not stay within restricted boundaries. Pokemon Go bridged the digital world with the real world through an everyday device such as the smart phone. Various combinations of technology, and the perseverance of vision like that of Iwata and Hanke allowed for such mold-breaking products to be made. It was through the Big-C creative mind of Hanke, who wanted to implement on a global scale a augmented reality video game that allowed for the people to do an action that involved video gaming and the real world. It also points to the intrinsic thinking of Hanke to implement video gaming into real life and the willingness to collude with major collaborations between Google, Niantic Labs, Pokemon, and Nintendo.
[1] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/meet-john-hanke-the-eccentric-board-game-loving-visionary-who-ru/
[2]https://www.ft.com/content/596ec790-afe8-11e6-9c37-5787335499a0
[3]http://www.bangkokpost.com/tech/world-updates/1207453/pokemon-go-is-still-going-strong-creator-insists
I love how this post focuses on the product as it became. The product could be seen as only a game, but the most creative part of this app is that the game creates an experience for each user. The user can be creative in their search for animals, and the game makers used the platform to get people outside and exploring. I have thought this game was important since I saw a pair of brothers dragging their dad around on a beautiful July day in Lincoln Park. The game brings people together and brings them outside, and that secondary actionable level of creation is what really struck me.
ReplyDeleteI think that another interesting stance to take on the creative process/product of Pokemon Go is that it solved a 21st century problem. So many of us are stuck behind screens: playing video games, scrolling through Instagram, watching Netflix. I like how Pokemon Go took this obsession with technology and made it into something that got people out of their homes. It still uses a cell phone, but users are encouraged to explore the world around them and meet new people, all well still playing a virtual game. Its great! The initial interest has definitely died down, but I thought it was pretty awesome last summer when I saw hundreds of people outside walking around and looking for pokemon. The game, without a doubt made a huge impact.
ReplyDeleteI have always been amazed at how pokemon go introduced pokemon to a whole new generation while still raising to meet expectations of an older generation. The ingenuity of integrating virtual reality while staying true to the source, it is something that should be applauded. I know that some people look down on it, because it causes the younger crowd to be even more attached to their phones, but it also encourages an interaction that I find rare in today's technology presence. I have heard so many stories about people coming together, relating more to younger family members as well as older ones, and most importantly, having fun with a game that has inspired an entire generation of people to have fun and get out and see the world around them.
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