August 13 was Pokemon Go’s Community Day, when extra experience points and creature encounters were up for grabs. In Eugene, the local playerbase came out in force.
Gamer Celsey Dawson arrived at UO’s campus in the morning, sun shining, with three young kids in tow. She had put out a call for a player meetup on Facebook, but she wasn’t sure what to expect. Since moving back to Eugene in May, Dawson had not yet found the tight-knit player group she knew in Arizona.
“I miss doing events together,” she said. “You build really great friendships and relationships out of it that last forever.”
Then people started appearing. There was Jonathan Symons, donning an Ash Ketchum costume complete with replica gym badges. And many others, phones-in-hand, rare Pokemon in their sights.
These strangers mostly didn’t know each other, they said. But as they stood there, congregated around the same in-game encounters, they started to speak like friends. Comparing catches. Telling stories. Laughing.
“You can go on for hours talking about the most rare shinies you’ve caught. ‘What’s your favorite Pokemon? Who’s your buddy?’” said player Nate Palomo.
Pokemon GO might be the most social gaming experience available. It is an AR phone app in which players traverse their real-world surroundings to catch and trade creatures. Local players say Eugene is a good place to be.
When Pokemon GO released in 2016, it shattered Apple App Store records. Hordes roamed the streets of major cities. Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton even referenced the game at a campaign rally. But by the next year, its user base crumbled as the novelty wore off.
According to Rogers, what audiences got that first summer was a featureless, drab prototype. There were only 150 Pokemon and little to do with them.
“It was the same Pokemon over and over,” she said. “I thought, I’m bored of this, I don’t want to be involved anymore. “
In the years since, the game has quietly added dozens of new features. Players can battle in-game bosses or duel each other. They can team up to take down humongous, powerful Pokemon in raid battles. And they can fill their Pokedexes with more than 700 unique creatures, pursuing rare recolors called shinies.
“Everyone that I’ve met who came back from taking that hiatus from 2016 is in love with the game,” said recent UO graduate Troy Jordan.
Of players present on Saturday, many were introduced by peer pressure from a friend, partner or family member. Some have played since the game’s release while others never touched it until a few months ago.
According to Dawson, the game doesn’t penalize new players, allowing them to join in with those like herself. As a single mother, she’s been able to get her family members and her son involved, supplying fun outings for all ages.
“It’s really self guided and gives you all of the direction you need, so anybody can do it,” said Dawson.
There’s multiple popular locales in Eugene, including Alton Baker Park and Willamette Street. But by Dawson’s estimate, UO is the best place to go. It is filled with Pokestops — real life landmarks with in-game rewards — and a steady stream of players luring Pokemon.
“Walking on campus, you see someone, you give a little nod, and you’re like, ‘Oh, you’re playing Pokemon GO? Let me add you just so we can send gifts,’” said Palomo. “It’s little things like that which make this community better.”
For Jordan, the game slotted perfectly between classes in his final year at UO. As he walked across campus, he would catch things to impress his friends. He also found commonalities with coworkers.
Palomo enjoys learning about people through the Pokemon that they prefer. He said his preferences are tied to cherished childhood memories, but he believes every character is someone’s favorite.
“It is literally open to anyone and that’s the cool thing,” said Dawson. “There’s such a diverse group of people that play. I love seeing it all come together.”
Eugene’s Pokemon GO community is best reached through Facebook. The next in-game Community Day will happen on a to-be-announced day in September.
