Unless you’ve been under a rock these past few days, you’ve heard about the new Pokémon GO mobile game that is sweeping the nation. The game turns your smartphone into a virtual Pokemon detector, and you move around the outside world catching the creatures to earn points and rewards. You might find a Pokemon on your front stairs, at a park, at your favorite cafe, or at the beach.
What’s fun is that it’s augmented reality. As you run the app and go into camera mode, your phone camera turns on so you’re seeing what’s really in front of you – and the Pokemon that may be lurking there.
When you’re in position to catch a Pokémon, the screen will switch to a first-person view with the Pokémon in front of you. Then touch your screen to throw Poké Balls to try to catch the Pokémon. The little buggers sometimes move around, making it tricky to catch them! Here’s a good primer on the game if you want to learn more.
We’ve been keeping tabs on where people are finding Pokemon here in the Richmond District. So far, we’ve had confirmation of Pokemon at:
– Green Apple Books (506 Clement)
– The Balboa onhealthy cheapest atarax movie theater (3630 Balboa)
– Sutro Heights Park
– Park Chalet / Beach Chalet
– Golden Gate Park (specifically 21st & Fulton)
– Lands End
– Ocean Beach
Map: Where to catch 99 Pokemon in San Francisco
The app is free for both iPhone and Android, and there are in-app purchases for things like “lures” which you can drop at a location to entice other gamers to come visit a particular location.
Speaking of gamers, you’re sure to notice even more people than usual walking heads down, staring at their phones. The game gets big points from us for actually encouraging people to GET OUTSIDE AND WALK AROUND, but as the SFPD has already warned, watch where you’re going!
And if you’re REALLY getting into it, you might want to join up with the 4,500 people who are planning to hunt Pokemon en masse on Wednesday.
Happy hunting! If you find some good ones, let us know here in the comments or tweet us @richmondsfblog.
Sarah B.
.@richmondsfblog I'm catching 'em at 21st and Fulton along @GoldenGatePark. #PokemonGO #sf #cockalier #spaniel pic.twitter.com/gIKaLUAKKs
— Pumpkin (@thebabypumpkin) July 12, 2016
Catch 'em all, then catch a movie! The Balboa is a #PokemonGO location! #Pidgey #Zubat pic.twitter.com/C1xxWtzNBt
— Balboa Theatre (@balboatheatresf) July 12, 2016
Bah Humbug. What a waste of time.By the time I figure it out it’ll be yesterday’s news, like Myspace. You’d think that Siri would have a phone number I could dial from my feature phone and play along.
i cant believe anyone over the age of 10 does this. WTF is wrong with people?
You know, I’m 43, and I enjoy the game. it’s fun.
There’s a few pokemon *inside* the Neck of the Woods, and it’s also a Pokestop so you can refill your balls. Toy Boat is also a refill spot.
One thing I learned a long time ago is that acting either ignorant or dismissive about a craze you are not into doesn’t make you cool. You may not like it because you are older, “wiser” or “more mature”, but that just means you forgot how it is to be young at heart.
I actually think it’s *more* mature to be cognizant about what younger folks are doing these days, because being able to hold a casual conversation with folks of many walks of life is important.
And no, I will not get off your lawn, geezers.
I’ve had a cold for the last few days and now I’m terrified to go out in this brave new world. Thanks, at least, for the list of places to avoid !
I’m with Jer (obviously or I wouldn’t have posted about this craze). I’ve seen couples, families having a good time TOGETHER out in the neighborhood with this game. Better than having people stuck behind their computers or gaming consoles. Plus they get exercise and tend to explore new areas. Two thumbs up!
The game is also a product of an SF company (which was once bought and more recently spun off by the Google), who also built the wonderful travel/history based trivia app Field Trip – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niantic,_Inc.
Technically there are pokemon on every street in the city (been catching some low level ones at my desk inside my house). The places with higher volume of pokemon and higher diversity of different types of pokemon are in areas that are highly trafficked areas, which correlates with a lot of checkpoints (pokestops).
I dont think that Green Apple or the Balboa theater would have a high diversity of pokemon since they are small buildings. Beach Chalet/Ocean Beach area and Sutro Baths area are some good spots. Other spots to mention are Baker Beach, the Golden Gate Bridge tourist area, and music concourse area between the DeYoung and Academy of Science.
Also to address the negativity, nothing wrong with all ages playing the game. The game itself does not hurt anyone and no one is getting taken advantaged. Of course you can argue that people are driving while playing the game or muggers stalking the hotspots for victims, but those type of scenarios already happen for a bunch of other social human activities—this game won’t make things any worst.
People should probably read this before indulging: http://www.zdnet.com/article/pokemon-go-is-a-major-security-risk-for-your-entire-google-account/
“Hey you kids, get off of my lawn!”
Please just look up before you cross the street to catch a Pokemon, or step to the side so as to not block the path! The crowds at Beach Chalet last night and tonight (evening = 50+ players at any time; there were 10-15 people there at 8AM today!) were all over the walkways, forcing other path/sidewalk/steps users to slow/swerve/etc. Have fun, but be aware of and courteous to others around you. And GO!
You’ve got a lot better stuff to write up on. This seems like click bait. Is this blog not better than that?
Junky, not sure if you have stepped outside lately, but tons of people all over the place are out walking in the Richmond district playing this game. I ran into 4 players, completely randomly, as I was playing it last night who were also playing. This game is big news.
Bizarrely, I just found out that Niantic, the little company that made this game, is headquartered in my old office building at 2 Bryant st, downtown. They are on the second floor; I worked on the third for years. Crazy!
I just scream at the top of my lungs when distracted “gamers” are standing aloofly in my path. You should see the reaction to it 😉
I will stick with the analog world. I will go take a swim, work under my 70 year old car, or go flying with wind in my face and nothing but skill to keep me alive.
As for the idiots who walk down the street with their nose in a phone…I have lawyers to deal with those fools if and when they run into me and the DA has a room full of lawyers if they run into a little old person, knock them down, and cause them death by broken hip!
It’s harmless fun just the players don’t go walking into traffic, walking into light poles, elbowing the guy sitting next to you on a MUNI bus, wandering into homeless encampments and private property, and falling into open sewer manholes while staring at their screens.
Is this still happening? I’m not into virtual games, but this week’s Weekly says it’s a big trend. I can’t tell the difference between people playing games, loitering, spotting, prowling, riding unicorns, or whatever; it’s the same busy sidewalks and streets as usual. Apparently some hunter/gatherers peruse the Richmond PD premises and don’t respond to a badge, or whatever the officer has in hand. Isn’t it bizarre that Trump is prez, all immigrants have been exported, and nobody notices?