**The Fascinating World of Pokémon Go: Exploring the Business Model and Social Implications**

Pokémon Go is an interesting case study that raises questions about business models, social behavior, and data harvesting. In 2016, Niantic released the game as a free-to-play augmented reality game that encouraged players to explore their surroundings by searching for virtual Pokémon in the real world. The game's premium model offers additional features and items that can be purchased with real money, such as increased storage capacity or access to exclusive content.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Pokémon Go is its business model. By allowing players to purchase in-game items and currency with real money, Niantic has created a revenue stream that complements the game's free-to-play nature. This model is reminiscent of other successful games like Ingress, which was also developed by Niantic. However, while Ingress allowed players to collect virtual items and currency through gameplay alone, Pokémon Go offers additional premium features that can be purchased with real money. This approach has proven to be highly successful, as the game's revenue has exceeded expectations.

**Data Harvesting: A New Frontier**

Pokémon Go also raises interesting questions about data harvesting. By collecting player data on their movements and behavior, Niantic has gained valuable insights into human behavior and spatial patterns. The game's use of location-based services and player tracking technology allows the company to learn a great deal about how people move through cities and public spaces. This data can be used in various ways, such as to improve urban planning or to inform marketing strategies.

However, some critics have raised concerns about the potential misuse of this data. As Pokémon Go encourages players to explore new areas of their city, there is also a risk that players may not be paying attention to their surroundings and may be distracted by the game while walking or cycling through public spaces. This has led to concerns about safety and liability, particularly in areas with high foot traffic.

**The Impact on Urban Environments**

Pokémon Go has also had an impact on urban environments, particularly in terms of how people interact with public spaces. The game's use of augmented reality technology allows players to see virtual Pokémon and other game elements superimposed onto the real world. While this can be a fun and engaging experience for players, it also raises questions about how this technology is being used in urban planning.

For example, some locations have banned Pokémon Go due to concerns that the game is attracting too many people to these areas or causing safety hazards. In other cases, cities have seen an increase in foot traffic and economic activity as a result of the game's popularity. This has led to questions about how cities can balance the benefits of Pokémon Go with the need to maintain public spaces and ensure the safety of all users.

**The Ethics of Virtual Objects in Public Spaces**

One of the most interesting questions raised by Pokémon Go is the ethics of placing virtual objects into public spaces. As players collect virtual items and currency through gameplay, there is also a risk that these objects may be perceived as having real-world value or significance. This has led to concerns about trespassing, property damage, and other safety issues.

For example, some locations have reported instances of people attempting to trespass on private property in order to access PokéStops or gyms. In other cases, players have been accused of damaging public spaces while trying to complete game challenges. These incidents highlight the need for clear guidelines and regulations around the use of Pokémon Go in public spaces.

**The Role of Data in Game Design**

Niantic's use of data harvesting has also raised questions about the role of data in game design. By collecting player data on their movements and behavior, the company can gain valuable insights into how players interact with the game. This data can be used to inform changes to gameplay mechanics, level design, and other aspects of the game.

However, some critics have argued that Niantic's use of data harvesting is overly aggressive and raises concerns about player privacy and consent. As Pokémon Go continues to evolve and expand its features, it will be interesting to see how the company balances the need for data-driven decision making with the need to protect player rights and privacy.

**The Social Implications of Pokémon Go**

Finally, Pokémon Go has raised important questions about social behavior and community engagement. The game's use of augmented reality technology allows players to interact with each other in new and innovative ways, such as through coordinated gameplay and social challenges. However, some critics have argued that the game's focus on individual competition and achievement may lead to a sense of isolation or disconnection among players.

As Pokémon Go continues to evolve and expand its features, it will be interesting to see how the company addresses these concerns and promotes positive social behaviors among players. By fostering a sense of community and inclusivity, Niantic can help create a game that is not only fun and engaging but also socially responsible and beneficial for players and society as a whole.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwe're going to talk about the new location based game uh Pokémon go like in the old Pokemon games you walk around and you collect Pokemons but the new thing is that this time you're not walking around on your Game Boy in your in your virtual game space but this time you're actually walking around the city and you collect Pokémons wherever they appear in the city first you download the app from the iPhone store or the Android store so we have a couple of streets here you need to be outside because the game uses GP s to track your position so this is us and we actually physically walk around the city with our phones in our hand and then hopefully suddenly a Pokemon appears and then when we're there we see the Pokemon on our screen it switches to like a very simple augmented reality view with your camera and then we use the Poke Balls and do a very simple flicking game so I have a I have a Pokeball here and then I have to try to throw it at the Pokémon and if it works the Pokemon is captured by the ball and then goes into my my backpack or as it's called in Pokemon lingo my Pokedex so we're here at the University and over here is a a poké stop and if we do this we get bonus items that we need and there's also Pokemon next to it let's see if it works I've hit it but now it might Escape so we need to wait a few seconds it has escaped so let's try again so what the ball sort of stick to them do they yeah I need to I need to I need to hit the Pokemon with the ball by flicking it in this direction and I'm my aim is very very bad at the moment yeah so I've hit it now goes into the ball and depending on the strength of the Pokemon and my level and the quality of Pokeball I've used it might or might not Escape yeah gotcha Psyduck was caught so I got experience points for it and Stardust and Candy do you already have that one I already had that one yes so it doesn't matter that we're a little bit away from that particular no because because uh GP is very imprecise anyways it works really well when you're driving on a street because then the phone knows that you are on a street so it will fud the results a bit and actually put you on the street but if you were just walking around then the GPS will jump around a little bit at some point I will run out of these pokeballs because I only have a limited amount of them so what nean has also done is they placed uh so-called poker stops in the environment and I can see them on the map that I have and then if I walk to these Poké stops I get bonus items pokeballs Etc so I can refresh my energy basically and then there is a another type of location soal gyms and when I walk to a gym I can place one of my Pokemons inside this gym and then the Pokemon is protecting the gym and I can leave the spot again I can walk around further collect other Pokemons train these Pokemons and then if another player comes to the gym they can fight against my Pokemon that is protecting uh the gym so the gyms are a bit like a boxing gym rather than kind of a work action is that right yeah that they they actually look very much like a like a boxing ring so you have like a platform and then you you can see the two Pokemons fighting against each other each Pokemon is using their their special abilities there are about 750 different Pokemons in this game I I believe and in the in the overall Pokemon world there are there are plenty more so I'm I'm sure Niantic and Nintendo will release a couple of more as soon as everybody has found all the Pokémons because that's what what the game is basically about to to catch them all to to complete your Pokedex then to train your Pokemon make them better and gain Prestige by by owning these gyms so the tagline got to catch them all it's not about getting every single one it's about getting the different types is it yes yeah there as as I said there are like 750 different ones I believe and if you if you find the same one again you do get some some bonus experience points and some some Stardust and candy and all these kind of things but then you can exchange them for for more uh bonus items Etc so you want to have like one really strong Pokemon of every type who's making the money out of this what's going on with the money yeah that's that's an interesting question uh many people ask that already when the antic was doing Ingress which is the the predecessor uh in Pokemon you have the the premium uh model so instead of instead of walking to the poker stops and collecting new poker balls I can also be lazy and just pay pay money and then then get these items so that's one one business model and the other interesting thing is by um following in the people around the city and observing how they move where they go where they congregate Etc Niantic also learns a lot about the structure of the city about uh people's movement Etc and so that's potentially very interesting data to analyze and then uh use in other ways than just gaming there maybe some kind of data harvesting going is that right Poss well they they they need to do some data harvesting anyways because that's what their what the game is all about to send people into into unexplored environments for example that that's also one of the the Fascinations that that the Pokémon Go game has that you see that there's a poké stop somewhere and that's why you go there and you go to an area of the city that you haven't been before and so you so you explore the city you learn you you see the city with new eyes in a way so you're doing sightseeing in your in your hometown which is something you often don't actually do you think that the people who are playing this game are actually seeing any of the sites or are they just staring at their phones well that that's something I I have noticed when I when I'm playing the game and for example here at the market square there's often a big Congregation of people playing the game and yes people people look at their phones and they look at the map so they they can see where the Poké stops are Etc and they they focus very much on the map they catch the Pokemon with the augmented reality view they do the flicking game Etc and sometimes they seem to be a bit remote from the from the actual environment and that's something that we in research have tried to to investigate like what makes these games exciting how much coupling between the real world and the virtual game Space do you want to have how does it change the the game experience because what uh netic is doing is they have a a big database of all these landmarks where they place the Poké stops and the gyms Etc and so all of these locations are at interesting places but then again there's no strong connection between the game content and the actual location because if I go to this Poké stop or to this Poké stop that doesn't have any different meaning another interesting question is is in a way a legal question or an ethical question because um you're placing all these virtual objects into the real world into the into the cyberspace so to say so who owns the cyberspace of your location if I if I have if I live in my flat and then because of how the game is set up a Pikachu appears in my back Garden that will potentially attract other players and they might then feel enticed to climb into my back Garden uh they don't necessarily will feel that it's something illegal they're doing because the game kind of tells them there's a Pikachu come here pick up the Pikachu and then it becomes an interesting question what happens if there's an accident for example while they're trespassing uh other cases that have been in the media are locations that don't really want Pokemon to appear there for example the Holocaust Museum in New York or aitz cemeteries in general so suddenly you have people running around the cemetery holding up their phones onto onto graveyards so it's an interesting social and ethical uh question that you have to ask yourself when you're designing these games and when you add content uh to these games why does that happen on those particular places what what's causing those to become hotpots yeah because um nean is using a very simple trick so to say to create all the content so they haven't gone and open Google Maps and placed a poké stop here another Poké stop here and here should be a poké stop so that a they have a big database of uh locations which they have increased by by the previous game Ingress and so now they have a have a giant database of landmarks of monuments of schools universities statues Etc and all of these locations are chosen for the game and then autogenerated as uh Pok stops and gyms so there's no uh moderation process in there at the moment you must immediately get dang be this has been made in Sheffield it's a kind of drunk jelly baby he fighting in a car park physics brawler uh game a company called bonef this particular server has four Titan X graphics cards in it a Titan X is one of the for most graphics cards there are new generation 10we're going to talk about the new location based game uh Pokémon go like in the old Pokemon games you walk around and you collect Pokemons but the new thing is that this time you're not walking around on your Game Boy in your in your virtual game space but this time you're actually walking around the city and you collect Pokémons wherever they appear in the city first you download the app from the iPhone store or the Android store so we have a couple of streets here you need to be outside because the game uses GP s to track your position so this is us and we actually physically walk around the city with our phones in our hand and then hopefully suddenly a Pokemon appears and then when we're there we see the Pokemon on our screen it switches to like a very simple augmented reality view with your camera and then we use the Poke Balls and do a very simple flicking game so I have a I have a Pokeball here and then I have to try to throw it at the Pokémon and if it works the Pokemon is captured by the ball and then goes into my my backpack or as it's called in Pokemon lingo my Pokedex so we're here at the University and over here is a a poké stop and if we do this we get bonus items that we need and there's also Pokemon next to it let's see if it works I've hit it but now it might Escape so we need to wait a few seconds it has escaped so let's try again so what the ball sort of stick to them do they yeah I need to I need to I need to hit the Pokemon with the ball by flicking it in this direction and I'm my aim is very very bad at the moment yeah so I've hit it now goes into the ball and depending on the strength of the Pokemon and my level and the quality of Pokeball I've used it might or might not Escape yeah gotcha Psyduck was caught so I got experience points for it and Stardust and Candy do you already have that one I already had that one yes so it doesn't matter that we're a little bit away from that particular no because because uh GP is very imprecise anyways it works really well when you're driving on a street because then the phone knows that you are on a street so it will fud the results a bit and actually put you on the street but if you were just walking around then the GPS will jump around a little bit at some point I will run out of these pokeballs because I only have a limited amount of them so what nean has also done is they placed uh so-called poker stops in the environment and I can see them on the map that I have and then if I walk to these Poké stops I get bonus items pokeballs Etc so I can refresh my energy basically and then there is a another type of location soal gyms and when I walk to a gym I can place one of my Pokemons inside this gym and then the Pokemon is protecting the gym and I can leave the spot again I can walk around further collect other Pokemons train these Pokemons and then if another player comes to the gym they can fight against my Pokemon that is protecting uh the gym so the gyms are a bit like a boxing gym rather than kind of a work action is that right yeah that they they actually look very much like a like a boxing ring so you have like a platform and then you you can see the two Pokemons fighting against each other each Pokemon is using their their special abilities there are about 750 different Pokemons in this game I I believe and in the in the overall Pokemon world there are there are plenty more so I'm I'm sure Niantic and Nintendo will release a couple of more as soon as everybody has found all the Pokémons because that's what what the game is basically about to to catch them all to to complete your Pokedex then to train your Pokemon make them better and gain Prestige by by owning these gyms so the tagline got to catch them all it's not about getting every single one it's about getting the different types is it yes yeah there as as I said there are like 750 different ones I believe and if you if you find the same one again you do get some some bonus experience points and some some Stardust and candy and all these kind of things but then you can exchange them for for more uh bonus items Etc so you want to have like one really strong Pokemon of every type who's making the money out of this what's going on with the money yeah that's that's an interesting question uh many people ask that already when the antic was doing Ingress which is the the predecessor uh in Pokemon you have the the premium uh model so instead of instead of walking to the poker stops and collecting new poker balls I can also be lazy and just pay pay money and then then get these items so that's one one business model and the other interesting thing is by um following in the people around the city and observing how they move where they go where they congregate Etc Niantic also learns a lot about the structure of the city about uh people's movement Etc and so that's potentially very interesting data to analyze and then uh use in other ways than just gaming there maybe some kind of data harvesting going is that right Poss well they they they need to do some data harvesting anyways because that's what their what the game is all about to send people into into unexplored environments for example that that's also one of the the Fascinations that that the Pokémon Go game has that you see that there's a poké stop somewhere and that's why you go there and you go to an area of the city that you haven't been before and so you so you explore the city you learn you you see the city with new eyes in a way so you're doing sightseeing in your in your hometown which is something you often don't actually do you think that the people who are playing this game are actually seeing any of the sites or are they just staring at their phones well that that's something I I have noticed when I when I'm playing the game and for example here at the market square there's often a big Congregation of people playing the game and yes people people look at their phones and they look at the map so they they can see where the Poké stops are Etc and they they focus very much on the map they catch the Pokemon with the augmented reality view they do the flicking game Etc and sometimes they seem to be a bit remote from the from the actual environment and that's something that we in research have tried to to investigate like what makes these games exciting how much coupling between the real world and the virtual game Space do you want to have how does it change the the game experience because what uh netic is doing is they have a a big database of all these landmarks where they place the Poké stops and the gyms Etc and so all of these locations are at interesting places but then again there's no strong connection between the game content and the actual location because if I go to this Poké stop or to this Poké stop that doesn't have any different meaning another interesting question is is in a way a legal question or an ethical question because um you're placing all these virtual objects into the real world into the into the cyberspace so to say so who owns the cyberspace of your location if I if I have if I live in my flat and then because of how the game is set up a Pikachu appears in my back Garden that will potentially attract other players and they might then feel enticed to climb into my back Garden uh they don't necessarily will feel that it's something illegal they're doing because the game kind of tells them there's a Pikachu come here pick up the Pikachu and then it becomes an interesting question what happens if there's an accident for example while they're trespassing uh other cases that have been in the media are locations that don't really want Pokemon to appear there for example the Holocaust Museum in New York or aitz cemeteries in general so suddenly you have people running around the cemetery holding up their phones onto onto graveyards so it's an interesting social and ethical uh question that you have to ask yourself when you're designing these games and when you add content uh to these games why does that happen on those particular places what what's causing those to become hotpots yeah because um nean is using a very simple trick so to say to create all the content so they haven't gone and open Google Maps and placed a poké stop here another Poké stop here and here should be a poké stop so that a they have a big database of uh locations which they have increased by by the previous game Ingress and so now they have a have a giant database of landmarks of monuments of schools universities statues Etc and all of these locations are chosen for the game and then autogenerated as uh Pok stops and gyms so there's no uh moderation process in there at the moment you must immediately get dang be this has been made in Sheffield it's a kind of drunk jelly baby he fighting in a car park physics brawler uh game a company called bonef this particular server has four Titan X graphics cards in it a Titan X is one of the for most graphics cards there are new generation 10\n"