‘Pokemon Go’ goes wild in DFW

You can’t escape it.

People of all ages, alone and in groups, are crowding parks, churches, national landmarks, museums, downtown squares and other public places, playing Pokemon Go, a treasure hunt played through an augmented-reality app in which players use their smartphones to search for animated creatures in the physical world.

Forbes.com recently called it “the biggest mobile game in the United States, with 21 million active daily users.”

Unless you’ve been living under a bed, in a cave located in the Antarctic for the last few weeks, you’ve probably seen the phenomenon in action, as players, phones in hand, walk around looking for Pokemon characters, trying to “catch ’em all.”

You’ve also probably seen news reports on Pokemon Go, including coverage of what every pop-culture phenomenon worth its 15 minutes spawns: a backlash, with some raising concerns about internet privacy while others critique it, as Vox.com did, as “everything that is wrong with late capitalism.”

Pokemon Go has been criticized for being a safety hazard, as it’s easy to get so engrossed in the game that you wander into traffic, step in potholes, trip downstairs or stumble into other obstacles. Officials for certain serious or somber locations, such as police stations and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., have discouraged users from coming in and catching Pokemon.

An Austin player was robbed at gunpoint. Further, people have had accidents playing the game while riding their skateboards or bicycles. And, of course, you should never play while driving — it’s at least as distracting as texting or checking Facebook.

And then there’s Lane Smith, who was bitten by a snake while playing in Flower Mound.

On the plus side, the free-to-download game, which uses the GPS and camera on your phone to let you capture, train and battle virtual cartoon creatures, has been praised for getting people up off the couch and out into the real world, scoring some exercise and maybe some new friendships along the way.

At a time with so much political and cultural division, Pokemon has been lauded for bringing together people who might be on opposite sides of the fence — cops and civilians, for instance, according to Forbes.

In addition, certain businesses have benefited from being “PokeStops,” where you can get such helpful items as incense, which attract Pokemon, and “Poke Balls,” which you use to catch Pokemon. There are also “gyms” around town where battles take place.

For better or for worse, there’s no doubting that Pokemon Go is the most popular fad in the country right now. Pokemon has been around for 20 years — the franchise debuted in Japan in 1996 and North America in 1998 — but catching the critters has rarely been this fun, and it’s never been this active.

For an up-close look at Pokemon Go and what the game means to the people involved, we spoke with five area players.

Carson Wright

Age: 20

Occupation: Student at Abilene Christian University

Base of operations: Keller

Carson Wright is only 20, but he’s been into Pokemon for more than a decade and a half.

“I’ve been a huge fan of the ‘Pokemon’ series for as long as I’ve been into video games,” he said. “I began playing 16 years ago with Pokemon Yellow for the Game Boy.”

While Wright enjoys a variety of games, including such strategy-intensive mobile titles as Bloons Tower Defense and Plague Inc., and such console favorites as EarthBound (Super Nintendo) and Super Smash Bros. (Wii U), he sees Pokemon Go as a game-changer, a revolutionary title that has popularized the augmented-reality genre.

“It is truly fulfilling and exciting to find a rare Pokemon in real life,” he said. “The augmented-reality function and GPS tracking system really simulates what it’s like to go hunting for Pokemon.”

For Wright, who is living with his parents in Keller until school starts up again, a typical round of Pokemon Go finds him and a group of friends driving to a hot spot like Southlake Town Square, downtown Fort Worth or Keller’s Bear Creek Park, where they “walk around for hours until our phones die or it’s time to go home.”

Speaking of hot spots, Wright and his pals usually hunt in the evening, “when the temperatures aren’t scorching hot.”

Wright appreciates the fact that Pokemon Go gets people more involved in the world outside of their homes.

“Pokemon Go excels at forcing players to move around and explore new areas,” he said. “It’s a unique way to become more aware of your community and get in some exercise for the day. It’s also a great way to make friends. Everyone I meet is super friendly, and they gladly give tips on where to find certain Pokemon.

“Another benefit is how it helps players who may have anxiety or depression, as it encourages them to go out and socialize at their own pace.”

Wright is a passionate Pokemon player who moves at a rapid pace because he subscribes to the series’ tagline, “Gotta catch ’em all.”

“Specifically I’m looking for Dragonites, Blastoises, Charizards, Snorlaxes and Laprases,” he said. “I’m also very serious about being the best trainer in my friend group for bragging rights.”

While Wright is a devoted fan, he acknowledges that the game isn’t complete.

“I’m very excited for several features that are going to be included in future updates, such as later generations of Pokemon and a trading system,” he said.

Wright encourages people of all ages to try Pokemon Go (“I see people ranging in age from 10 to adults in their 40s and 50s playing with their kids,” he said), but he does offer some tips and precautions for newbies and veterans alike.

“I would encourage players to go with a group of friends for safety reasons,” he said. “Also, make sure that you are aware of your surroundings and stay in areas that you know so you don’t get lost. The app drains your battery, but there is a battery-saving mode in the settings that helps fight this problem.”

Magdiel Ventura

Age: 36

Occupation: Quality analyst at Bank of America

Base of operations: Fort Worth

“I’m an adult, and I have adult things to do.”

“If your husband plays Pokemon, congrats, ladies, you have a new child.”

Magdiel Ventura, who runs the annual Retrofest gaming convention in River Oaks, has heard these and other barbs slung at seasoned gamers, but he’ll have none of it.

“I’ve seen a lot of people posting about how immature it is for a grown-up to play Pokemon Go,” he said, “but we all do childish things at times to escape reality, whether it’s going to Six Flags, getting on your game system at home for hours or even going to watch an ‘X-Men’ movie.”

Or, as one internet meme advises, “Let people enjoy things.”

Ventura does indeed enjoy video games, but he considers himself primarily a console gamer, plowing through such titles as Shovel Knight, a challenging, retro-style side-scrolling platformer for the Wii U.

“I haven’t really played mobile phone games before Pokemon Go, but I really like it,” he said. “It’s the adventure, the idea of finding a Pokemon that you don’t have and adding it to your collection. Plus, it’s a nice break from the 9-to-5 workday.”

During the week, Ventura usually travels solo on his cartoon creature quests, but that doesn’t mean he’s alone.

“I can go to a Pokestop and see various types of people playing the game, and it’s cool to approach someone and just start a conversation,” he said. “The game brings people together. It makes people social that otherwise wouldn’t talk to each other.

“For instance, the other day I was at a Pokestop, and I saw a buff-looking jock in a big truck talking to guy wearing a Pikachu backpack. I sat in my car, and I thought, ‘That is awesome. Had it not been for this game, those two might not have spoken at all.’ ”

On weekends, Ventura brings his wife on his expeditions because “we have more time go out together,” he said. “She’s not into the battling, and she’s never been into Pokemon, but she likes finding the creatures and catching them.”

On one particular outing they discovered an Air Force memorial that Ventura had never noticed before, even though he has “driven around Saginaw for years.”

Ventura, who likes hunting Pokemon at the Northwest Campus of Tarrant County College, believes he knows why Pokemon Go became an instant sensation.

“I think it’s the hunter in all of us,” he said. “That’s what makes scavenger hunts so fun. We love to go and find things in different spots and have the feeling that we got something out of it and took something with us.”

Abigail Sims

Age: 19

Occupation: Biology major in the teaching program at the University of Texas at Arlington

Base of operations: Bedford

Before Pokemon Go, Abigail Sims had never played a “Pokemon” title, and she doesn’t have any other mobile games downloaded to her phone.

“I had some friends teach me about Pokemon and how things work, but it was pretty easy to get the hang of,” she said. “I know there are people who have dreamed of a Pokemon game like this for years, but I can’t imagine that I’m the only one who just got into it because of Pokemon Go.”

Sims may be new to Pokemon, but that doesn’t make her a video-game newbie. In fact, she’s a big fan of the classics.

“I have a PlayStation 1, and really love the ‘Spyro’ series,” she said. “I also have an Xbox with lots of classic arcade games.”

Sims has noticed a major difference between Pokemon Go and traditional video games beyond the fact that it takes you into the great outdoors.

“When I’ve mentioned other video games, I’m usually not taken seriously by the men that I’m talking to,” she said. “I’ll either be dismissed, or they will start asking lots of questions as if to prove that I actually do play video games. With Pokemon Go, I’ve seen lots of women playing, and none of the strangers that I’ve encountered playing have treated me any differently than the men I’m with.”

Sims enjoys playing the game with her friends, but her family has yet to jump on the bandwagon. Her favorite hunting ground is the Bedford Boys Ranch because there are “tons of PokeStops and a gym” and “lots of people our age no matter the time of day.”

As a transfer student at UTA, Sims has found that meeting new people can be difficult. However, that’s no longer the case, thanks to the viral video game.

“I play Pokemon Go on campus a lot, and I’ve met tons of students through the game. I see them every day now. I’ve discovered new buildings and landmarks on campus as well. So far most of my classes have been in the same area, so I haven’t wandered around much, but running across campus to find the PokeStops has led me to some cool fountains and sculptures.”

Summing up the appeal of Pokemon Go, Sims said: “I think the social aspect is probably what draws people in because the game forces you to go to new places, and you always meet new people — and usually their dogs!

“This is the first time I’ve seen so many people of various demographics freely talking to each other and having fun together. It’s nice to see something uniting people and creating positive interactions when people often have a tendency to be judgmental and exclusive.”

Carter Keyworth

Age: 15

Occupation: Junior at Saginaw High School

Base of operations: Fort Worth

When not riding his bicycle, tumbling on the gymnastics mat or swimming at a friend’s house, Carter Keyworth enjoys playing Rocket League (a soccer game), Call of Duty and Skyrim on his PlayStation 4.

When it comes to gaming on the go, he’s all over Clash of Clans and Minecraft Pocket Edition, “because they never get old.”

Increasingly, Keyworth finds himself booting up Pokemon Go, which he began playing a few days after it came out.

“I usually play Pokemon Go when I’m in a car,” he said. “Playing the game and driving is obviously hazardous, but you can avoid this by taking other people in your car and having them catch the Pokemon for you.”

While Keyworth enjoys catching a few creatures to pass the time on short and long car trips, he said the real fun is in searching on foot or on two wheels.

“My favorite thing about this game is that you have a fun way to get off of your couch and go hang out with your friends,” he said. “There are some people that would stay on their couch all summer, but with this game a lot more people are getting out and exercising.”

Keyworth’s mother, Mary Rather, said Pokemon Go has made her already active son even more likely to go outside.

“I’ve seen Carter get on his bicycle more in the last week than I had in the last month prior to the game,” she said. “I’ve also seen him spend time with friends who came over while playing that he hadn’t seen much this summer.”

Rather herself started playing Pokemon Go a few days ago.

“I began playing for several reasons,” she said. “Both of my boys were playing, and I thought I would try and see if I could like it, as I’m often looking for things we can all enjoy. Also, as a nurse practitioner in pediatrics, I wanted to have an idea of what it’s about so I could talk to my patients about it.”

Rather, who cited WinStar World Casino in Oklahoma as a great place to hunt, admitted that there are some drawbacks to the game, such as people walking into hazards while staring at their screens. But she likes that people are getting more exercise.

“Patients and parents report it has motivated kids to get moving,” she said. “Compared to the overwhelming sedentary habits I usually hear about, I’m pleased at this development. I’ve also witnessed an increase in social interaction as I see people and family groups out in the evening playing.”

Tim Kennedy

Age: 34

Occupation: Software engineer

Base of operations: Grand Prairie

As a video-game developer and longtime Pokemon fan, Tim Kennedy views Pokemon Go with a critical eye, calling it the “first game to give us an augmented-reality experience that has really worked. It’s not perfect, but it does engage our suspense of disbelief.”

Pokemon Go isn’t the first game of its type — the developer, Niantic, released a similar mobile app called Ingress in 2012 — but it’s the first one to reach the mainstream masses.

“I think Pokemon’s brand really helped sell the game because it created a nearly 1-to-1 experience that mirrored the shows and movies we grew up watching,” Kennedy said. “From a technological perspective, it actually advanced the medium. It gives real-world places additional meaning and value, which no other game I’ve ever played does nearly as well.”

One such “real-world place” is the Liberty Bell replica in Grand Prairie, which Kennedy had never noticed before playing the game. Dedicated in 1975, the tourist attraction was, according to www.waymarking.com, “a gift to the community, sponsored by the Bluebonnet Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in memory of their Revolutionary War ancestors.”

As for the imperfections in Pokemon Go, Kennedy cited the game frequently freezing up or unable to load because of lost connections with the server, a situation caused by the game’s massive popularity, which eclipsed all expectations.

In addition, Kennedy said the developers should have taken into consideration the fact that careless people would go around searching for Pokemon while behind the wheel.

“I really wish that the game wouldn’t allow you to catch Pokemon or even see the map when going over 10 mph,” he said.

Kennedy also said adults should keep an eye on younger players.

“The first time I handed my phone to my 6-year-old son for him to catch a Pokemon, he lost all sense of where he was and nearly ran into the street without any care that he might get hit by a car,” he said. “If I hadn’t been there to stop him, he certainly would have. That prompted a talk about paying attention to his surroundings.”

In terms of fun factor, Kennedy said that Niantic has a number of things in development for the game, including character trading.

Hopefully, they’ll also initiate such features as turn-based fights and battles outside of gym locations.

“I can’t imagine them stopping there,” Kennedy said. “The potential to battle my friends with Pokemon we have raised is massively exciting. It may be too soon to call, but we may be witnessing the birth of an e-sport hybrid.”

This story was originally published July 20, 2016 at 4:25 PM with the headline "‘Pokemon Go’ goes wild in DFW."