8 Happenings in S’pore After Pokemon Go Launched Two Days Ago That Shows It’s Serious Business

Pokemon Go is serious business. Walk along the streets and you realise that almost everybody is walking around with their mobile phone in hands and stopping occasionally to flick at their screens.

Pokemon Go was officially launched on 6 August and it has taken Singapore by storm since it launched. It has only been two days since it launched but the impact from the launch was felt immediately.

Here are 8 happenings in Singapore that took place since the augment reality game was launched.

Everybody is talking about it

How do you know when a trend has gotten too crazy? When everybody is talking about it – from the national newspaper to online publications, schools and your Facebook feed is crammed full of finds, hacks, tips and screenshots on the game. Yes, even our dearest minister.

Pokemon became the #1 in Singapore Trends on Twitter

At 1.30pm on Saturday (6 Aug), just a few hours after the launch, there were 1.22 million Tweets according to a report published by Straits Times.

The Government has issued warnings

The day the game was launched, authorities immediately launched their own version of warnings to the public about taking the game too seriously. From the RSAF to the SCDF, here are our personal favourites.

The RSAF and their dragon companions in the sky.

The SCDF and their concern for Squirtle’s feelings

The SAF and their Poke-Puns

ION Orchard used it as a marketing strategy

If you’ve not read about this yet, read it here. ION Orchard has decided to spend money on hundreds of Pokemon Lures to attract both wild Pokemon and humans to the First Official PokeStop of Singapore.

Join in on their social media competition and who knows, you might just walk away with a free cup of bubble tea.

Players found a dead body at Woodlands

Remember back then when we heard news about people finding dead bodies while playing Pokemon Go? We were wondering, what are the chances of that, right?

Well, the game was launched just two days ago in Singapore but already, a player has found a dead body of a woman floating along Woodlands Waterfront Jetty on 7 August and posted it on his Facebook. His post can be found here.

Pokemon Go related car hiring services

You’ve heard about how someone in another country gave up his full-time job to fulfil his childhood dream of being a Pokemon master in the same league as Ash Ketchum and you’re wondering if Pokemon Go can be a means of making money.

Well, some insanely creative people has decided to capitalise on the Pokemon Go craze taking place right here in Singapore and tailored their services for gamers, specifically car rental services and private car hires.

For $30 an hour, you can ride to the various PokeStops around the island in comfort and catch Pokemon to your heart’s content.

Pokemon Go took users back into the real world

This is, well, only observable if you play the game yourself. I took the opportunity to try out the game yesterday and found places I didn’t know exist in an area I’ve been staying in for the past ten-odd years.

And you can see plenty of people just out for a walk on a nice Sunday afternoon. You have to admit it’s a bit refreshing to see real life people congregating at public places like the parks, playgrounds and bus stations again.

Although given the fact that most of them are absorbed in their phones, it’s not exactly the real world they’re in right now, but that’s nitpicking.

You can strike up a conversation with strangers easily

I’m serious. Take a peek at people’s phones when you walk past and chances are, they’re playing the same game. Always wanted to make new friends? Here’s a great conversation starter for you!

And a bonus:

Okay, this isn’t exactly something that happens in Singapore, but wouldn’t it be cool if a global Pokemon Go competition is organised to find the strongest Pokemon Go Trainer in the whole wide world?

At the rate this phenomenon is going, I wouldn’t be surprised if it happens. What say you?

Featured image: todayonline.com

This article was first published on goodyfeed.com