Pokémon Go, a new app created by Niantic, has been sweeping the nation since first being released this summer.
Augustana first-year student Laura Whitaker describes Pokémon Go as “fun [and] easy to use”.  People of all ages are excitedly downloading this free app and diving into the world of augmented reality games.  No longer are video games simply played in dorm rooms—now “trainers” are out and about exploring their towns and campuses trying to catch em’ all.
Pokémon Go is played by all ages from elementary to adulthood, with places to play catered to different people. Augustana College is a fantastic place for playing Pokémon Go—consisting of dozens of interesting PokéStops, where trainers collect more Pokéballs to catch Pokémon, to gyms, where your Pokémon can fight an opposing team or train to become the best, which are located in prime locations, such as PepsiCo.
One of the advantages of Pokémon Go is that you do not necessarily have to play by yourself—taking a walk by the Slough with a couple of friends would be a perfect way to de-stress from classes while playing a very nostalgic game.
Dr. George W. Boone, a business administration and communications professor at Augustana, is an avid Pokémon Go player.
“(I play Pokémon Go) pretty much every day, provided (I’m) not super busy,” says Boone.
While there are some unflattering media pieces that show Pokémon Go as the instigator of unfortunate accidents or crazy events recently, both Boone and Whitaker said that more good than bad came from the game.
“(It’s) common sense that you don’t walk in the middle of the street and not look,” says Whitaker.
With its multitude of Pokéstops and gyms, Augustana students have the full world of Pokémon waiting at their fingertips.