As has been chronicled on Kotaku, my journey into Pokémon GO has been one which started two years in the past in lockdown-induced happiness, after which slowly descended into disappointment after disappointment. Nonetheless, this weekend, regardless of what look like Niantic’s greatest efforts, I lastly skilled Pokémon GO at its best possible: A joyful time out with a bunch of superior folks, chasing shinies and dealing collectively to tick off duties.
This previous Saturday marked the conclusion of 2022’s dragged out Pokémon GO Fest, throughout which the godforsaken story of Professor Willow’s disappearance was lastly resolved, and in the end we have been capable of catch the long-promised Extremely Beasts, Pheromosa, Buzzwole, Xurkitree and Nihilego, in addition to the final word prize of Shaymin Sky-Type. However, for the primary time in my expertise, it wasn’t simply me and my boy taking part in. And it modified every thing.
My major level of competition with Niantic’s latest undesirable modifications to POGO, past its dedication to disregard covid recommendation that borders on fervor, is the corporate’s bewildering perception that in the event that they make occasions more durable to affix in, by some means extra folks will find yourself taking part in collectively. This Saturday, nonetheless, had no such silliness in place. As an alternative, the closing Fest occasion ran from 10 a.m. to six p.m., with a brand new set of duties and raids each two hours. So, as is turning into conventional for such in-game occasions, Toby—now seven years previous—and I set off to the native park, the place there are a bunch of gyms and stops to extra simply plow by means of challenges.
The ‘bandstand’ is the most effective spot. Three gyms in attain without delay, plus it’s the one place we’ve ever seen anybody else taking part in, even when it was for only a cursory, barely awkward mutual nod of recognition. Toby had his swimming lesson at 11.30, so we figured we’d get the primary chunk of duties accomplished, after which inevitably after the break he’d resolve he now didn’t wish to play any extra, and I’d be left making an attempt to complete the challenges at residence like the massive, unhappy particular person I so fairly often am. Besides one thing else occurred. Standing by mentioned bandstand was a circle of people, all holding telephones, all holding them out and searching down.
As we walked down the hill, as an alternative of protectively closing in, they regarded up, seen our cellphone held out in that particular manner of POGO gamers, and invited us over! Three adults, three children, many Pokémon t-shirts. We made it eight. They have been the loveliest bunch, a pair with their 10-year-old boy, and a mum along with her 9 and 13-year previous boys. Right away we have been invited to catch a Pheromosa, and for the primary time in two years of taking part in this daft sport, I skilled a real, real-life, in-person raid.
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This isn’t for need of making an attempt, however as an alternative on account of what Niantic can’t settle for: That it’s not 2016 any extra, and there aren’t gaggles of excited gamers crowding round each health club. For my total POGO profession, I’ve had to make use of apps like Poke Genie for it to be attainable to do any five-star raiding, that means I’ve mysteriously captured legendaries from nations all world wide, however by no means from down the highway from my home.
We chatted away, swapped Pokémon expertise tales, Toby whipped out his binder crammed along with his favourite TCG playing cards, and simply probably the most congenial hour was had by all. However it was time to go to swimming, and so—having swapped buddy codes—we mentioned our goodbyes to our fleeting associates.
Decided to attempt to maintain him on a Pokémon GO observe for a bit longer after his lesson, as a result of sure, clearly, I’m the one who desires to be taking part in it now excess of him, I instructed we stroll even farther from residence to get some lunch. At 1.45 p.m., and with a Machop nonetheless lacking from that second part’s assortment problem, I made him scoff down his remaining ice cream and we set off to catch the blue blighter who refused to look contained in the restaurant. He was proper exterior, however the third chunk of the day was about to start, new Pokémon to catch, and most significantly, {the electrical} hearth danger of Xurkitree to seize. I instructed we stroll again by means of the park, simply in case.
And so they all of them have been! Our gang! They’d moved about since, however have been again on the bandstand too, and as soon as once more we have been warmly invited to affix them. It seems the 2 households had met one another in the identical location a number of months again, regardless of every dwelling in different cities in reverse instructions from our small city. All have been avid Pokémon followers, the one couple having been so for the reason that beginnings within the late 90s, the opposite mum having picked it up when her children did, alongside along with her companion, after which rapidly turning into probably the most obsessed member of the household. Which is, er, slightly acquainted. Cough.
Because the duties ticked round, all of us accomplished them as a bunch, working collectively to assist one another out. When Toby discovered a hundo Swirlix, everybody rushed to attempt to seize it, together with what turned out to be different gamers who have been quietly close by. When that tiresome other-(one)-dimensional helmeted chap informed us we wanted to stroll a kilometer and hatch an egg, we set off in two teams to do a lap of the park. There was pleasant ribbing, cheerful banter, and even some deep-and-meaningful grown-up chatting.
We ended up spending the remainder of the afternoon, by means of to about 5.30, with these superior folks, and I’m delighted to report we swapped numbers, and are planning to fulfill up for future Group Days and occasions. It’s the golden Pokémon GO expertise I’ve solely beforehand heard about, most frequently within the feedback beneath different POGO articles I’ve written, from nostalgic, lamenting long-term gamers. And I lastly encountered it for myself.
I significantly better get why Niantic is so fixated on this. Whereas in fact the billion-dollar firm is primarily pushed by making huge quantities of cash, its rhetoric is nearly completely framed round a desperation to rebottle the escaped genie of 2016. It’ll infuriate and alienate the whole planet of gamers, by making bone-shatteringly clearly unhealthy choices, simply because it will get the thought in its head it’ll trigger folks to seek out group as soon as once more. The corporate halved the size of Group Days this 12 months, simply because it thought it meant folks can be extra prone to encounter one another if the timeslot was restricted. The plain actuality is that it simply means extra individuals are unable to affix in, and the possibilities of encountering somebody when there’s nobody else round aren’t improved for those who make participating extra inconvenient.
But, on Saturday, for one of many sport’s largest occasions of the 12 months, I skilled it. I get why individuals who lived by means of the sport’s heyday would so desperately wish to see that occuring once more. It makes an enormous distinction, and one which I think about most individuals who (like me) by no means performed the sport earlier than covid have never identified. I can’t wait to fulfill up with all of them once more come the following likelihood, and play the sport because it was meant.
