Get Active with Pokemon Go!

Circa 1997: I distinctly remember those days in early 2000 when kids went crazy about collecting the Pokemon cards. My nephew was no different. He along with his friends played Pokemon Trading Card game. It was supposedly a competitive play that targeted all ages. His friends and he would discuss for hours together Pokemon characters which character they do not have and trade those.

Circa July 2016 : Pokemon Go is the flavor of the season. You find people in offices, college students and kids all walking with their smartphones or iPads trying to find something. When asked what they were finding? “We are catching Pokemon’. The latest craze is Pokemon GO, a location-based and augmented reality mobile game and the fever is spreading across the country like wild fire among one and all.

The fever has caught on in GOQii office as well, so much so that looking at the interest, Vishal Gondal, CEO decided why not get one and all from office as well as GOQii players together and find Pokemon. It’s been fun and I have gotten active walking more than I used to do earlier, said one of my colleagues.

Can this ‘Pokemon Go’ become your new fitness activity? It sure can. So keeping in trend with its innovative ideas to get people active and fit, Vishal Gonda our CEO decided to come up with an ‘Active Sunday’ when he saw his colleagues in office completely clued into this game. It was an Active Sunday of a different kind.

What was so different? Well, Active Sunday’s of GOQii on July 17^th at the Hiranandani Gardens in Powai was a landmark event with at least over 300 people turning up for it to catch Pokemon.

This game that has now caught on like wild fire is interesting. If you look at it positively it can get each one hooked on to the game and get active and fit as it involves brisk walking. For all those not interested or making constant excuses to even walk this game can get them interested in walking. Many players thought it is a great way to get fit.

Once who have not been walking or serious about doing so because of the game can get active. Pokemon Go requires players to explore new areas around them. The game places more Pokemon, Poke stops and gyms in densely populated areas away from places where you belong and encourages you to walk significant distances to collect medals or incubate eggs.

But, the downside of this game is that one has to be careful where one is going. In fact, the game starts with the warning saying be aware of your surroundings. It can take you to the roads and to places you have not been before. Given the conditions of the Indian roads and especially Mumbai where pavements are uneven chances of injuries could be high. It is upon the individual to take care and play it in a manner that is fun and injury less.

The origins of ‘Active Sunday’ started 18 months ago with GOQii players coming to a particular outdoor venue be it a park or a beach in the city to run, walk and exercise together. The Pokemon Craze active Sunday was unlike any other active Sunday where barely 30-40 players turn up. It was a fun event with both kids and adults running or walking clutching their smartphones to catch the Pokemon.

To make sure that players do not get bored and have enough Pokemon to catch, GOQii attached Lure Modules to the existing Pokestops around the area. Lure Module is a feature that attracts Pokemon to a Pokestop for about 30 minutes.

The event was simultaneously activated in both Bengaluru and Delhi as well where GOQii players got together to catch Pokemon.