Pokémon Go, Part Four

As a gaming franchise, Pokémon goes out of its way to be open to newcomers. What I've witnessed over the past two weeks of playing Pokémon Go is this ideology of acceptance translated into the real world, with older or more experienced players actively helping younger or less experienced players.

To give a concrete example, I live by the National Zoo in DC, which has a good three dozen pokéstops (an extremely high concentration). When I go for walks there, I see players approaching people who seem confused about how something in the game works, and the zoo employees and volunteers have been engaged in helping the kids who come up to them to ask for directions. I'm sure there are hardcore trainers lurking by the gyms at either end of the park, but the overall approach seems to be one of enthusiastic welcome.

Even in more "adult" environments (like the bar scene at Adams Morgan), it's been kind of amazing to see how an inclusive attitude regarding gaming has become a means of fostering real-world kindness. Pokémon Go is like an all-ages and friendship-focused version of Tinder for nerds, which is something that shouldn't work but does.

Oh man. What a strange and wonderful world we live in.