Still going strong: Students continue to play Pokémon Go

Even on a sweltering late summer’s day, many USD students can still be seen playing Pokémon Go on campus.

The number of students playing the game today, however, is probably less than even a week ago.

The once-immensely popular smartphone app has had more than 52.4 million people download it since its release on July 6, according to prioridata.com, but use of the app has been going down steadily since it reached its peak on July 22.

“It’s just like any other game,” said Krysta Ostlie, a USD senior accounting major. “It goes out of style after a while. It’s not like it’s shocking.”

Pokémon Go works by encouraging its players to walk or bike to places in their community to catch Pokémon, which have been programmed into the surrounding environment with virtual reality technology.

Players go to locations called PokéStops, which are usually small statues or doors to important buildings to collect virtual items such as Pokéballs, which can be used to catch Pokémon. Players can also store their Pokémon in places called “gyms” where the Pokémon can compete against other players’ Pokémon.

The locations of gyms and PokéStops attract a lot of foot traffic and have caused controversy in cases where they were situated in culturally sensitive areas, such as at the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. For churches and other establishments that don’t want a gym near their building there’s also a process to request that the gym be moved.  Some businesses have embraced the concept of Pokémon Go, integrating Pokéstops into their business strategy, going so far as to apply for Pokéstops and gyms to be placed near them.

Many churches are also gyms in the game. Some churches have embraced the idea, while others haven’t warmed to the idea of having increased foot traffic.

“My primary concern is that it is very time-consuming,” said Father Jeffrey Norfolk, a priest at the Newman Center, which also doubles as an in-game gym. “I think people can spend hours in front of their phones trying to kill off built-up energy doing Pokémon Go.”

On the other hand, Father Norfolk does appreciate the game creators making churches gyms.

“If it means that more people will drive by, walk by, stop inside of a church—if an electronic game can help them once again be awakened to their faith and step back into a church, then I am very grateful to the creators of the game, if that can be an open door,” Norfolk said.

Many are also concerned that Pokémon Go can be dangerous. Because the game requires players to pay close attention to the screen while walking, many have failed to take notice of nearby hazards—people have even been mugged while playing the game. Burglars have taken advantage of the lure item in the game, luring people to a location where they hide and steal players’ phones.

According to UPD’s Dean Tomkins-Searcy, no one has been harmed playing Pokémon Go on USD’s campus. 

USD students have also been encouraged to play Pokémon Go on campus with an online video produced by the USD Marketing Department featuring MUC director Kyle Schoenfelder.

“Enjoy catching them all in between all of your classes,” Schoenfelder says in the video before catching a Pikachu.

Pokémon gyms on campus

• Lee Medicine and Science Building
• Old Main
• Legacy Coyote Statue
• St Thomas More Newman Center

PokeStops on campus

• Lee Med sculpture installation
• South Dakota Union entrance
• National Music Museum entrance
• Farber House
• Slagle Hall NW entrance
• McKusick Center
• USD sign at Pine and Clark
• Shakespeare Garden
• Danforth Chapel
• Belbas Center
• Sculpture installation south of Belbas
• East Hall west entrance
• Doc Farber statue
• Churchill-Haines NE entrance
• South side of I.D. Weeks Library
• Sculpture installation SE of I.D. Weeks
• Wesley Campus Church
• Al Neuharth Media Center  SE of satellite dish
• Al Neuharth Media Center east entrance
• Sculpture installation north of Beacom School of Business
• Beacom School of Business South entrance
• USD Law School east sign
• NW corner of the DakotaDome
• WH Over Museum
• Wellness Center
• Warren M. Lee Center for the Fine Arts main entrance

(Locations provided by USD)