Before "Pokemon Go" release date arrives, players need to know a crucial aspect of the "Pokemon Go" gameplay that tends to be overlooked. Playing "Pokemon Go" could lead to situations that could expose "Pokemon Go" players to unforeseen dangers.
Unlike regular video games, "Pokemon Go" is an augmented reality game which makes it more exciting since players will be interacting in the actual world to catch pokemons in parks, malls, sidewalks and other places that will be determined by the game. But such exciting part of "Pokemon Go" gameplay could expose players to dangers when "Pokemon Go" release date arrives worldwide.
"Pokemon Go" Guide and Tip - Assess Safety Of Location
For instance, there have been reports that armed robbers might have found a way to tap into "Pokemon Go" application to locate potential targets. GameStop reports that O'Fallon, Missouri police announced through Facebook about their recent discovery that "Pokemon Go" players seemed to be targeted by armed robbers.
"This morning at approximately 2 AM we responded to the report of an armed robbery near the intersection of Highway K and Feise Road. We were able to locate four suspects occupying a black BMW a short time later and recover a handgun. These suspects are suspected of multiple armed robberies both in St. Louis and St. Charles Counties. It is believed these suspects targeted their victims through the Pokemon Go smartphone application,"says the O'Fallon authorities post.
It is not explained how exactly the robber used the "Pokemon Go" app to their advantage. It is highly possible that they just play the game and goes to the designated Pokemon location knowing other players will be there to try to catch it.
While the environment interaction is part of the "Pokemon Go" gameplay, it is very important to be able to assess the safety of the location of the target Pokemon. It would be best to only catch Pokemons in places with a lot of people and during daytime to lessen the likelihood of a robbery.
"Pokemon Go" Guide, Tip - Don't Drive and Play
It has been a known fact that texting and using smartphone could cause vehicular accidents. Because of this, players need to keep their hands off their gadgets and refrain from playing "Pokemon Go" while driving.
Playing "Pokemon Go" is potentially even more distracting than reading a simple text message. The game is very immersive and enjoyable to play that it could easily distract drivers of their more important task of steering their cars safely.
If one needs to a far location to capture a Pokemon, it would be best to ask a friend to do the driving. In fact, this could be the preferred mode of travel by "Pokemon Go" players soon because Niantic Labs is reported to be mulling the introduction of a "Pokemon Go" multiplayer version, according to The Independent.
How Devs May Help
It is possible that the developers might want to tweak "Pokemon Go" a little to prevent or lessen the likelihood of "Pokemon Go" related incidents in the future. One way would be to only spawn Pokemons in locations that are generally safe like malls and other highly locations where there is always a crowd. It is also preferable to place them away from busy streets.
Another way could be the timing of the appearance of these Pokemons. Since nighttime is generally riskier in most areas, the daytime availability of the Pokemons might also be considered.
Until such measures are taken and implemented, "Pokemon Go" players need to prioritize their safety above all else.
