Pokémon GO: Collaboration and Information on the GO

Abstract

Pokémon GO is one of the few location-based mobile games (LBMG) which gained popularity all over the world. It increases physical activity when players are walking around catching Pokémon. It also shapes the players’ sense of place and increases their social interactions. This exploratory auto-ethnographic study seeks to provide a first glimpse at how players appropriate different tools to inform themselves, collaborate with other players to catch or trade Pokémon and fulfill tasks inside the game together with a worldwide community. Results indicate that young adults learn how to organize catching events, arrange raid sessions, and collaborate within the Pokémon GO world and outside in the real world. This implies that the observed skills resulting from the gamification design elements of Pokémon GO can be transformed into the work life of young adults. Our explorative paper tries to pave the way for other research.