News: The Astonishing Rise of Pokemon GO and its Fatal Unintended Consequences

If you live in the US, Canada, Europe, and other countries, you might have probably heard about Pokemon GO. I have heard about this smash-hit game from my Facebook friends, and I was surprised how it became an overnight success for Nintendo.

What is Pokemon GO?

Pokemon GO is a mobile game released for the Android and iOS devices. It is a free-to-play game that uses the augmented reality technology where digital information is merged to the real world. People can see Pokemon in their surroundings through the use of their mobile devices.

Pokemon is a popular TV show in the 90s, and it is short of “pocket monsters”. I had watched this show when I was young, and it is a big hit at that time. With us growing up, Pokemon is making a comeback not just for the kids right now but also for the adults who have lived and liked this show.

News about Pokemon GO

The Pokemon GO is destined to be viral. In just a few hours after it has been made available to the public, it has to “pause” for a while because of the unexpectedly high volume of traffic and the server just can’t keep up. It has even canceled launch dates to other countries because they have to upgrade all systems to accommodate the massive number of people playing this game.

According to one estimate, this game will even surpass Twitter and Tinder regarding the number of active users! Nintendo, the developer of the game, is now enjoying a rise in their market share as more and more people are downloading this Pokemon Go.

The Fatal Unintended Consequences of Pokemon GO

With its unprecedented rise in popularity, there will be unintended consequences when playing this game. One news item tells us how armed robbers are luring gamers.

Missouri police had reported how armed robbers are using Pokemon GO to snare victims in isolated places. With the utilization of the geolocation feature of the game, the robbers can anticipate where their victims will go next. Other features can also be used for malicious motives.

Another news item tells us about a woman stumbled upon a dead body while looking for a Pokemon in a nearby lake.

Before people can play Pokemon GO, they have to give personal information such as their usernames, email address, and location. With millions playing this game, it is frightening to imagine what the developers of Pokemon GO (Or worse, if the game is hacked) can do with all the information they have gathered.

Many gamers can get too engrossed in playing this game that they have lost track of their surroundings. This may lead to accidents that may fatally injure players. Thus, the game itself gives warning to all its users to stay alert to their surroundings.

A Christian perspective about Pokemon GO

It is interesting how the game use augmented reality as its primary mode of playing. This is something similar to what Satan has been using to deceive many people. He has used augmented reality even to deceive the whole world (Revelation 12:9).

He had used his version of reality to prevent us from seeing the real and blessed life that God wants us to have. He sugar-coated and presented his version of reality to lure many people into thinking that his way of getting is better than God’s way of giving.

Another point to consider is how many people are spending so much energy, time, and resources just to play this game. While playing this game may be entertaining, we must remember what the Apostle Paul taught us:

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, REDEEMING THE TIME, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Philippians 5:15-16).

There are more important things to do than just play Pokemon GO. It is a distraction to many people, and it can also potentially distract us from our God-given purpose. I hope that our enthusiasm for playing this game is the same with the enthusiasm that we have in studying God’s word.

Before you download and play this game, think about the possible consequences. Yes, it might be fun but try to weigh the positive and negative points. The worth of a game can be assessed by looking at its end result. After playing this game, what did you accomplish? Asking this question will help you make a better decision.

One thought on “News: The Astonishing Rise of Pokemon GO and its Fatal Unintended Consequences

  1. I remember the rise of Pokemon card game.. we were warned by the Church that they are demonic.. hence this is why they became an overnight success.. like magic the gathering.. and people would nearly cause a stampede to get a pack of rare cards.. Lord help us to keep our eyes open.. I would love to see a Christian game have a chance to become ” the new craze” Thank you for the warning..

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