I am 32 years, two books published, work as a multimedia journalist for BBC World, I am Bolivian, living in the United States and Pokémon Go every day.
Confession of a problem? ¿Recognition of an addiction? It’s possible.
However I’m not ashamed at all.
In fact, the first thing I did when I caught Charmander was up to Twitter photo amiguito the flaming tail in front of the balcony of my apartment.
It was a moment, it sounds difficult to understand, exciting.
long time I did not expect so much a game as I did with Pokémon Go ago.
What awaited since the first time I saw the promotional video announcing its launch more than a year.
There is as hundreds of “teachers” to defeat Mewtwo Times Square in New York.
The idea of turning my daily work walks on a crusade to catch creatures I know more than 15 years ago loved.
The overwhelming amount players, the alarming number of transactions on the Tokyo stock exchange and the images of “teachers” collapsing public spaces from Los Angeles to Sydney suggest that I am not the only one who liked the idea.
I can think of some reasons.
back to the past
Before writing this article I saw the first film Pokémon 1999 to refresh your memory.
the story is bad, predictable, with a forced end and has many unnecessary moments.
Almost the same as I remember the first seasons of the animated television series. The same narrative strategy in each chapter and jokes repeated over and over again
Pikachu saved the day with a powerful electric shock and villainous Team Rocket ended up flying through the air.
the truth is that video games, although better than their counterparts for film and television, were not something exceptional.
personally, I think Pokémon is a step below the consecrated Nintendo titles such as the Legend of Zelda or Super Mario Bros.
But that does not stop being a success in sales.
it is more, I still remember the first time I won some money spent it all in the cartridge Pokémon Stadium Nintendo 64.
they were not titles to look forward to, but one way or another trickled in our collections of video games for consoles and portable devices.
And under that dynamic been more than 15 years.
So we never forget Pikachu, Charizard, Bulbasaur and Squirtle , which is now better known among young people as “turtle memes”.
what was missing
in addition to the traditional concept of capture and evolve your creatures, Pokémon video game franchise detached in you had to take pictures, talk to Pikachu from a special microphone or solve puzzles.
Even he came with collectible card game, Magic style.
However, the central idea of those games I always knew incomplete.
Then came Pokémon Go, not for nothing in less than a week became the most successful application of history.
Pokémon Go completed the idea that started with the first game (of horrible graphics) for game Boy launched in 1996.
Thanks to the technology known as augmented reality, finally feel protagonizas the game.
at least that happened to me when I saw Charmander standing next to my couch.
that night, when I realized that the game was already available in the US, I was by go to sleep.
The desire to play made me get dressed again to try walking a couple of blocks.
On the way I found me a Rattata.
The next day I began to cross paths with other “teachers” in the streets.
The first time was a surprise, it is now standard in the world.
Since I started playing Pokémon Go out of my apartment way to work between 20 and 30 minutes earlier than usual.
so I have enough time to capture some Pokemon and dwell on the pokeparadas to get Pokeballs and eggs.
the intense summer of Miami makes it harder walks, but I take it as part of the challenge.
After Pokémon Go
When you close the application on your mobile phone, all the good and the bad in the world is still there.
I never thought that video games are an escape from reality and do not think so now with Pokémon Go.
are a hobby like so many others.
One day after the release of the game in the United States happened the shooting in Dallas in which five policemen and the bomber were killed.
The following week killed three other agents in Louisiana.
And the terrible attack occurred in Nice, France, attacks in Germany, the attempted coup in Turkey and the explosion in Kabul that killed more than 80 people.
We could go on, but as mentioned enough to understand that we have huge problems under our noses.
In such a fucked up world, search pokemones on the streets may seem insensitive and selfish.
But under that logic, the first thing we should do is suspend the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, close Christmas until further notice and stop making love.
None of that should have no place in a world that slowly triumph fear and hatred.
Fortunately we still do not give up at that and we cling to that old idea that life can be more than a sum of lamentations.
I am also aware that being part of this avalanche of ‘masters Pokémon “collaborate in making richer people while is a millionaire.
It’s the same when I go to the movies , put music in my apartment or I turn on the laptop.
I like video games since I can remember, like reading and playing football.
I do not think Pokémon Go make me a better or worse person , nor did it change my life or allow me to meet my future wife.
But lets me break this dynamic of anxieties and fears that imposes itself on a global scale (and walk a few kilometers Extra week).
A game so augmented reality is not dehumanized.
What distorts us as individuals is increasingly assume more naturally shootings in the streets, femicide everywhere, bombings and trucks, or migrants dying in their attempt to flee wars.
are there callousness and selfishness, not hope to defeat Mewtwo in Times Square with hundreds of people.
For now, the person you go take my new pastime with humor.
Would not change my mind.
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