Pokémon GO: The 2016 phenomenon that redefined mobile gaming
The mobile game Pokémon GO, which launched in 2016, is credited with changing mobile gaming by integrating augmented reality and encouraging physical activity. The game remains a significant cultural phenomenon that adapted to changing global conditions like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Why it matters
Pokémon GO demonstrated the potential for mobile technology to influence public health and social interaction on a global scale.
+ 5 You might recall a time when people were walking the streets with their mobile phones trying to find Pokémon GO characters in the wild.
All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper All other regional websites in your area Continue Parents were driving their children to Pokémon hotspots, guided by the Pokémon GO app.
The phenomenon began on July 6, 2016, when the interactive game was launched in Australia, New Zealand and the US. The rest of the world caught up the following day.
Newcastle gamer "Zoë Kinder", who goes by the name ZoëTwoDots online, has been playing Pokémon GO since day one. She's now 33 and mum to a one-year-old.
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