Back in the 50s, college kids would stuff themselves into photo booths. In the 60s, teens went crazy during the British Invasion. There was goldfish swallowing, the Rubik’s Cube, Toga Parties, Pac-Man and so many other fads no one can or maybe wants to remember.
Pokémon Go is the hottest fad his summer.
According to wikipedia.org, “Pokémon Go is a location-based, augmented reality game for mobile devices where players use their device’s GPS and camera to capture, battle and train virtual creatures called Pokémon, who appear on the screen as if they were in the same real-world location as the player. The game is free-to-play, although in-app purchases are advertised for additional gameplay items.”
Pokémon Go has become a social media phenomenon of sorts. If you want to know how the game works, just ask a child or a teenager. It can become addictive.
In Burleson, there are numerous Pokémon Go landmarks in the game. These locations can be a possible source of revenue for local businesses, and also a headache because of safety concerns.
Old Town Tourism Coordinator Drew Pennywell set up a contest on social media encouraging people to take in-game screen shots while in Old Town, with a prize being awarded to the best photo.
“We wanted to try and capitalize on people coming to Old Town,” Pennywell said. “We were also hoping that since people knew the photo contest was going on that they would come to Old Town, instead of Warren Park or another area of town.”
The promotion translated into some sales, Pennywell said. It was mainly the Old Town restaurants that picked up extra foot traffic.
“Some businesses have inquired about using Go to increase their business, but no one has began leveraging the game for that purpose,” Pennywell said.
Burleson Police Chief Billy Cordell said his department hasn’t seen major problems with players, although a concern is players not paying attention where they are going and being hit by an automobile or possibly causing an auto accident.
“We have not posted any safety tips yet, that’s something we probably need to consider,” Cordell said. “We are seeing some things going on with Go.”
Someone was doing a bunch of littering around Town Hall, and Cordell was informed there were about 40 or 50 players that may have been the culprits. He also had reports from Sgt. Tom Catron of players going on private property, in other words trespassing. There have also been calls to the 911 dispatch center of suspicious persons related to playing the game.
“You could be facing a criminal charge for trespassing if someone wants to press charges,” Cordell said.
BPD Deputy Chief Doug Sandifer said mostly the department hasn’t had major issues, other than people congregating and being at parks at late hours when they are closed. And there is a curfew ordinance for minors.
“People need to watch and know where they are going. People have been robbed, bitten by snakes, fallen into ditches and fell off a cliff in California chasing characters,” Sandifer said. “The safety issue is one. People need to know that if you break the law you are going to be held criminally liable if you trespass, damage property or do anything that can be considered as criminal mischief.”
Above all, Sandifer said: “People just need to pay attention to their surroundings and be careful.”