Will Pokemon Go Become More Popular Than Facebook?

A man holds up his cell phone with a screenshot of the Pokemon Go game as a woman searches on her cell phone for a Pokemon in front of the White House in Washington, DC, July 12, 2016. Credit: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

Hello,

Yes everyone is talking about Pokemon Go.   So am I.

No, I’m not going to tell you how it works or who built it.  You can read those pieces elsewhere.   

But I am going to let you know why I think it is such a winner and why I think it will be with us for a long time (and why there will be 100’s of attempts to clone the game with knockoffs).

The secret?

Why do I think it is amazing?

Because it is getting kids AND their parents OFF the couch moving around town together.   And we are having a blast!

In the past week I have walked and explored my local town more than I have in the previous 12 months.    All while playing Pokemon Go with my son.

(I think I read somewhere that Michelle Obama spent 7.5 years trying to get America to MOVE and Pokemon Go was able to do it in a week.  I believe it.)

Example:    Yesterday, in the middle of the afternoon, in 100-degree heat here in Virginia, my Son and I went to play Pokemon for over 2 hours.    We walked about 5 miles.

In the middle of the walk, we ran into some of his classmates from school, and we all joined in the fun.   And there were at least another 10-20 people (of all ages) doing the same thing.

Seriously.

Bottom line:  Instead of my son playing Minecraft on his own and I not really having a clue what he is doing, we are BOTH working together to find and capture Pokemons!

Next week I’ll attempt to figure out how organizations can use Pokemon Go (if they can).   Do you have any ideas to share?  Let me know!

Thank you,

Shaun Dakin – Dakin Associates