~2016 Pokemon Go Memories?

[hearts]

I cannot think of a purer time in 2010s history. Strangers from all age ranges, some who never got out of the house much, had a reason to go places they had never been and explore.

I remember ~50 people going to this one area in town that was the center point for 4 Pokestops. And strangers were mingling sharing the common goal of catching Pokemon.

One teenage kid yells to the entire group, "Guys! There's a Vaporeon behind the church over here!!!" The game was probably about a week old at this point.

When I tell you these grown folks ran, LOL.

In my small hometown, I would be the one to take over the gyms and then the next day, I'd ride past my gyms and see the same person was re-taking them over. This went on for days, weeks. One day, we finally caught each other in real life there at the same time and didn't speak but both laughed in our cars at each other.

So pure, man.

Do you have any memories like this?

[Unown]

Oh you are totally right about that - I had the opportunity to play it in two different countries.
Different cultures, different people, but the responses were exactly the same.

People immediately bonded the moment the question ' Pokemon Go? ' came out and you can be sure that when people are moving in a group with their phones out, it's definitely PoGo.

I remember spending all my weekends together with this bunch of strangers I met on a Facebook Group and we hung out every weekend to go catch Pokemon, battle gyms and when the raids came out we did that together as well. It was so much fun! I think many people have quit now but it's still quite a memory looking back at old photos and remembering how a game brought a world together.

[hearts]

@(you need an account to see links)
Yes!!!! I'm glad you share the same fuzzy memories as I do! I have since quit as well, but I do miss it so much. Even people who weren't Pokemon fans were playing it. Everyone was playing it!

And of course there were those people who would post on Facebook with their holier-than-thou attitudes, talkin' 'bout, "Sorry I don't have time to run around and catch virtual animals. I have a life."

I got INTO IT with this girl who posted some shit like that.

She ended her conversation with, "You'll understand one day."

I hope she's in a happier place in 2022.

[kittyray]

I lived in Manhattan during July 2016, and boy was it a magical time. My thoughts are incredibly scattered right now so I feel like I can't do the story justice. I was dealing with a lot of really bad social anxiety at the time and having this common ground with what felt like everybody around me really helped to take the edge off. I'd also moved to the city a few months earlier under pretty unideal circumstances and it really did help shift my perspective on living there at the time. I hope this thread sticks around a bit so I can write more when I'm more focused.

[Politoed]

True story

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[Charmander]

My fondest memoriesbwere of that first summer. It was also when I live in a town instead of the boonies so I could actually do PoGo without spoofing. I had my mini me back in 2016 so in the summer I would plop them in the stroller and we would go on almost 2 hour walks I'd be hatching eggs, and catching Pokémon like crazy. I'm sure people thought I was crazy as I would just randomly stop and stare at my phone lol. But it was neat to all the kids collecting at gyms etc and rare spawns.

[hearts]

@(you need an account to see links)
I understand exactly what you mean! It's so nice when strangers can share a common interest and can have fun together. It's kinda like that weird happy commonground like when there's a hurricane or something coming. That probably doesn't make sense to anyone but me. xD But like you can always talk about bad weather with strangers. It's the least awkward topic there is!
@(you need an account to see links)
That is so sweet!!! What a happy story. ;w;
@(you need an account to see links)
I love that! The game gave y'all a reason to explore around and even get exercise as a perk! I love how you'd pass a known Pokestop and you'd see people either in their cars parked around the area or chilling outside. I can't say enough how much I loved that.

[chii3d]

Myself and my coworkers all got Pokémon go banned from our jobs by our uptight boss. We were allowed to use our phones when no customers and tasks were done… but not pokemon go. My one coworker posted to social media there was a dragonite in front of the store and people came by to get it and manager did not like this.

There is a small area in my city with a lot of stops close together. People would be blasting the Pokémon theme song from their car amping people up to catch them all 😂

[hearts]

@(you need an account to see links) Oh my God, that manager sounds so lame.😩 Lighten up! Like if anything, take advantage of it. Ya got the youth coming to your store to catch rare Pokémon. Advertise that! xD

I love that about the Pokémon theme! It was such an awesome time in history because no one felt "different" for being a Pokémon fan. People were more excited that non-Pokemon players were joining.

I would argue Pokémon fan base might be the least non-gatekeeper-y haha

[kittyray]

I would argue Pokémon fan base might be the least non-gatekeeper-y haha

They're like the opposite of gatekeep-y. Whenever I talk about how I want to play all the games I missed in order or how I'm absolutely clueless on any pokemon after gen II, people are always really nice and assure me it isn't a big deal and then I can absolutely just skip around to whichever random games and more.