10 Biggest Problems You Might Face Playing Pokemon Go
Pokémon Go, the highly anticipated augmented reality game that asks you to go out into the real world to capture Pokémon, has recently been released to Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
Unsurprisingly, Pokémon Go is a massive hit. It’s installed on more phones than Tinder and it’s poised to surpass Twitter in daily active users – and that’s only in the US and only on Android.
The fact that Pokémon Go is a massive hit doesn’t mean it’s all smooth sailing. There are several Pokémon Go-related problems you should know about, such as...
1. It’s not available everywhere (not yet at least)
Pokémon Go’s popularity turned out to be a bad thing. Due to server overloads, some players have had problems logging in to play the game. Also due to server overloads, the game’s international rollout had to be put on hold.
On July 6, when Pokémon Go launched, the Pokémon Company International and Niantic explained that the game rolls out to the United States, Australia and New Zealand first, with Canada, Europe and South America coming soon.
At this time, it’s unclear when Pokémon Go will be released outside the US. It might be a small delay, it might be a long one. We just don’t know, and not knowing is terribly frustrating.
2. You can’t start with Pikachu (unless you use this trick)
At the start of the game, you’ll be asked to choose one of three starters: Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle. What, no Pikachu?
Unless you hurry to dive into the game, there is a way to get Pikachu as your starter. GamesRadar found out that if you walk far away enough from the starters, they will respawn. Do this four times and Pikachu will appear alongside the regular starters.
3. You might end up spending a lot of money (on a free game)
Yes, you can get the game for free and you can play it for free. But if you have money in your pocket and you don’t know what to do with it, then you need to know that Pokémon Go offers in-app purchases that range from a mere $1 up to a whopping $100.
And let’s not forget about Pokémon Go Plus, a $35 wearable that "lets you enjoy Pokémon GO while you're on the move and not looking at your smartphone." It connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and notifies you when there’s a Pokémon nearby or when you’re in range of a PokéStop.
4. You might hurt yourself (if you’re not careful)
It’s not that hard to believe that people get hurt playing Pokémon Go, not when you take into consideration the fact that people get hurt taking selfies.
Mike Schultz, a 21-year-old communications graduate, was staring at his phone instead of watching the road. He hit a big crack, took a spill on his skateboard, and managed to cut his hand. Kyrie Tompkins, a 22-year-old freelance web designer, twisted her ankle. Lindsay Plunkett, a 23-year-old waitress in Asheville, North Carolina, tripped over a cinder block and bruised her shin.
The bottom line is this: pay attention to what you’re doing!
5. The game is a major battery hog
The app needs to be running if you want to be alerted when a Pokémon appears, if you want to visit a PokéStop, if you want to hatch and egg, and so on. While the app is running, it needs a connection to the web (WiFi or mobile data) and it needs GPS to determine your precise location.
What does all this mean? It means that Pokémon Go can very quickly drain your phone’s battery. There are a few things you can do to address this situation: enable Battery Saver from the game’s settings, download an offline map of your area, perhaps get an external battery pack.
6. There are lots of known issues that need to be fixed
Developer Niantic is aware of several problems that might affect your gaming experience. Your trainer progress might reset to level 1, you might experience distorted audio, you might get an error message if your device loses internet connectivity while purchasing PokéCoins.
Since Niantic is aware of all these issues, we can only hope that they will be fixed soon.
7. You can’t play it if you have an Intel CPU
I purchased an ASUS ZenFone 2 because it has an Intel CPU. It’s was one of the key reasons why I bought this phone. So you can imagine my frustration when I took a look at the list of supported devices and saw that Intel CPUs are not supported.
That’s it! I’m getting a Nexus.
8. You’ll look really weird searching for Pokémon
The game’s entire premise is that you have to go outside, and find locations where there are Pokémon. The good news is that there are Pokémon everywhere, including some weird and ridiculous places. Even the White House.
The bad news is that you'll probably look like a weirdo. Think about how you'll look while you're wandering around somebody’s house. You know you’re trying to find Pokémon, but the people in the house don’t. To them, you’re just a weirdo, lurking outside like a weirdo.
The Duvall Police Department even had to issue a warning, telling people not to lurk around behind the police station, in the dark.
9. You might get robbed (at gunpoint)
The O'Fallon Missouri Police Department announced on Sunday that there have been a series of armed robberies targeting Pokémon Go players. The robbers added a beacon to a PokéStop and thus lured in unsuspecting victims.
The suspects have been apprehended and charged by the St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with Robbery 1st Degree and Armed Criminal Action.
10. You might uncover a dead body
The problem with going out in the real world is that you might stumble onto something nasty. Just ask Shayla Wiggins, a 19-year-old from Riverton, Wyoming. She went to the nearby Big Wind River to catch a Pokémon. But instead, she managed to stumble onto a dead body floating in the water.
The Fremont County Sheriff’s office said in a press release that the victim died of accidental drowning and "there is no evidence at this time that would indicate foul play."
Unsurprisingly, Pokémon Go is a massive hit. It’s installed on more phones than Tinder and it’s poised to surpass Twitter in daily active users – and that’s only in the US and only on Android.
The fact that Pokémon Go is a massive hit doesn’t mean it’s all smooth sailing. There are several Pokémon Go-related problems you should know about, such as...
1. It’s not available everywhere (not yet at least)
Pokémon Go’s popularity turned out to be a bad thing. Due to server overloads, some players have had problems logging in to play the game. Also due to server overloads, the game’s international rollout had to be put on hold.
On July 6, when Pokémon Go launched, the Pokémon Company International and Niantic explained that the game rolls out to the United States, Australia and New Zealand first, with Canada, Europe and South America coming soon.
At this time, it’s unclear when Pokémon Go will be released outside the US. It might be a small delay, it might be a long one. We just don’t know, and not knowing is terribly frustrating.
2. You can’t start with Pikachu (unless you use this trick)
At the start of the game, you’ll be asked to choose one of three starters: Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle. What, no Pikachu?
Unless you hurry to dive into the game, there is a way to get Pikachu as your starter. GamesRadar found out that if you walk far away enough from the starters, they will respawn. Do this four times and Pikachu will appear alongside the regular starters.
3. You might end up spending a lot of money (on a free game)
Yes, you can get the game for free and you can play it for free. But if you have money in your pocket and you don’t know what to do with it, then you need to know that Pokémon Go offers in-app purchases that range from a mere $1 up to a whopping $100.
And let’s not forget about Pokémon Go Plus, a $35 wearable that "lets you enjoy Pokémon GO while you're on the move and not looking at your smartphone." It connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and notifies you when there’s a Pokémon nearby or when you’re in range of a PokéStop.
4. You might hurt yourself (if you’re not careful)
It’s not that hard to believe that people get hurt playing Pokémon Go, not when you take into consideration the fact that people get hurt taking selfies.
Mike Schultz, a 21-year-old communications graduate, was staring at his phone instead of watching the road. He hit a big crack, took a spill on his skateboard, and managed to cut his hand. Kyrie Tompkins, a 22-year-old freelance web designer, twisted her ankle. Lindsay Plunkett, a 23-year-old waitress in Asheville, North Carolina, tripped over a cinder block and bruised her shin.
The bottom line is this: pay attention to what you’re doing!
5. The game is a major battery hog
The app needs to be running if you want to be alerted when a Pokémon appears, if you want to visit a PokéStop, if you want to hatch and egg, and so on. While the app is running, it needs a connection to the web (WiFi or mobile data) and it needs GPS to determine your precise location.
What does all this mean? It means that Pokémon Go can very quickly drain your phone’s battery. There are a few things you can do to address this situation: enable Battery Saver from the game’s settings, download an offline map of your area, perhaps get an external battery pack.
6. There are lots of known issues that need to be fixed
Developer Niantic is aware of several problems that might affect your gaming experience. Your trainer progress might reset to level 1, you might experience distorted audio, you might get an error message if your device loses internet connectivity while purchasing PokéCoins.
Since Niantic is aware of all these issues, we can only hope that they will be fixed soon.
7. You can’t play it if you have an Intel CPU
I purchased an ASUS ZenFone 2 because it has an Intel CPU. It’s was one of the key reasons why I bought this phone. So you can imagine my frustration when I took a look at the list of supported devices and saw that Intel CPUs are not supported.
That’s it! I’m getting a Nexus.
8. You’ll look really weird searching for Pokémon
The game’s entire premise is that you have to go outside, and find locations where there are Pokémon. The good news is that there are Pokémon everywhere, including some weird and ridiculous places. Even the White House.
The bad news is that you'll probably look like a weirdo. Think about how you'll look while you're wandering around somebody’s house. You know you’re trying to find Pokémon, but the people in the house don’t. To them, you’re just a weirdo, lurking outside like a weirdo.
The Duvall Police Department even had to issue a warning, telling people not to lurk around behind the police station, in the dark.
9. You might get robbed (at gunpoint)
The O'Fallon Missouri Police Department announced on Sunday that there have been a series of armed robberies targeting Pokémon Go players. The robbers added a beacon to a PokéStop and thus lured in unsuspecting victims.
The suspects have been apprehended and charged by the St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with Robbery 1st Degree and Armed Criminal Action.
10. You might uncover a dead body
The problem with going out in the real world is that you might stumble onto something nasty. Just ask Shayla Wiggins, a 19-year-old from Riverton, Wyoming. She went to the nearby Big Wind River to catch a Pokémon. But instead, she managed to stumble onto a dead body floating in the water.
The Fremont County Sheriff’s office said in a press release that the victim died of accidental drowning and "there is no evidence at this time that would indicate foul play."
