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Pokemon Go is a buggy, crashy mess… but I love it!

3 Aug 16

So I’ve now had a month to really put Pokemon Go through it's paces and I’m still a pretty hardcore player but what that doesn’t take away from is the fact that it’s a mess.

If you experienced the early days of the game and even up until now you’ll know that playing it is a frustration, the are constant freezes, crashes and downtime, I’m constantly having to relaunch the app which can become a pain but the problem is that I keep relaunching and then carry on playing.

So what’s up? It can’t just be me. Everywhere I go people are still playing and I’m confident that they experience the same issues that I do and it doesn’t put them off either, so this game really must be a hit. It’s premise is simple, the gameplay is basic and it crashes every 5 minutes so why do I keep going back?

I think it’s just the first time in a long time that we’ve had something like this, an experience that sweeps the world all in one go. We spend so much time consuming media on demand, at different times (don’t even get me started about spoilers). But if you go back in time when we did things like watch broadcast TV everyone experienced it at the same time and got caught up in the moment and the next day you discussed it with your pals.

via GIPHY

This really feels just like that. It’s nice to have something social to do. It’s kind of like we’re doing well at football or its Christmas, everyone you encounter is just in a good mood plus I have strengthened some work relationships and made some new friends just because of an app.

Plus, even though the game itself is basic and not that taxing I’ve been really enjoying it. It might just be the OCD in me but I like the idea of finding PokeStops in strange places and basically ‘catching them all’ (I was a Geocacher in a previous life). Even though it is a pain I can see past that, just don’t get me started about the fact that I now have to carry a battery pack around with me.

I think it’s more than a game. It’s a social experiment. I’m sure it won’t last forever but however long it lasts it’s been a laugh.

I’d love to know if you’re still playing, how well you’re doing and how you’re finding the whole experience.

More Pokemon Go shenanigans coming soon.