The new and fast grossing app Pokemon GO by Nintendo has been labeled a viral phenomenon and has accomplished a more than a few things in the past week.
#PokemonGo has gotten more kids outside in the past 48 hours than Michelle Obama did in 8 years ??
— Typical College Student (@TypicalPokemon) July 11, 2016
Yes it is true. The app gets kids (and adults) off their couches and outside catching Pokemon.
While it is great that kids are getting some exercise out of a game, there have also been some different, unexpected outcomes as well.
Shayla Wiggins, a nineteen year old from Wyoming was looking for a Pokestop when she stumbled across a dead body instead. The body was found at Big Wind River under the Wyoming Highway 789 Bridge a few days ago.
While following the map on her smart phone app, Wiggins jumped over a fence and walked across a bridge. She immediately called 911 to retrieve the body. It is unknown if she found the Pokemon she was searching for.
In Missouri, it is reported that armed robbers have been luring victims using the Pokemon GO app. No injuries resulted from these robberies but a handgun was confiscated from the criminal teens as they were taken into custody.
According to O’Fallon Police, the criminals would add “a beacon to a PokeStop,” in order to lure more players.
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Not only has this app uncovered corpses in rivers and been an agent of crime, it has also been the cause of many collisions.
Collisions between cars as well as collisions between players and the ground.
Mike Schultz, a 21-year-old communications graduate in Long Island, New York, explained how he fell off his skateboard while playing the game to BBC.
He went on to say he doesn’t think the company is at fault. While looking for Pokemon in their real locations, players must still be aware of their surroundings.
The immense popularity of the new game has increased Nintendo’s market value by $7.5 billion dollars.
Wow.
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