author: luckie
Pokemon GO tops US gaming charts; overly fascinated players tend to get themselves in danger
Pokemon GO has quickly become one of the most popular mobile apps, causing Nintendo's shares to skyrocket. The massive popularity has also got some downsides, as overly fascinated players tend to get themselves in danger.
Pokemon GO has been available in the USA, Australia and New Zeland for just a couple of days, but it has since become one of the top free Android/iOS apps – the game is almost as popular as Twitter, according to data from SimilarWeb.
Pokemon GO needed just four days to earn $14.04 million, which is more than Pokemon Shuffle Mobile did in 11 months ($14.03 mln). The huge popularity of the game surprised even Nintendo and the game’s developer, Niantic. Because there are not enough servers to accommodate all current users, the worldwide release of the game has been postponed. This overwhelming success left a significant mark on Nintendo’s market value, increasing its shares by over 50%.
The augmented reality mobile game requires players to get outside and hunt for virtual creatures in the real world. This, combined with a doze of carelessness, sparked some dangerous situations. While trying to catch a Pokemon in the game, a teenager from Wyoming came across a dead body. In Missouri criminals were using the app to lure people into secluded places and mug them. Fascinated by the game, Pokemon GO players have been reported to suffer minor injuries due to being distracted from their imminent surroundings, as well as trespass private properties. In the wake of such occurences, both developer and the police advise caution and common sense while playing Pokemon GO.
