On July 6, Niantic launched a new virtual game, Pokemon Go, reviving and reinventing the 20-year-old game. A top hit, it was soon downloaded by 130 million people around the world.

Widely popular and addictive, the game compels people of all ages to walk around their community and find Pokemon. This way players are not sitting indoors attached to a gaming screen but now can go outside and explore their community.

While Pokemon Go gives gamers an excuse to go outdoors, it also creates new dangers. Many gamers are often hooked to their screens and they tend to ignore the outside world. Thus, many people are more accident prone to passing cars and other surrounding objects. Some gamers go as far as trespassing private property to catch a Pokemon.

Though there are some dangers that come along with the game if one is not careful, the concept of Pokemon Go is genius. It allows gamers who are constantly indoors to go outside. However, the fact that the app compels gamers to go places where they normally wouldn’t dare to go has caused some criticism. Nonetheless, because the game does warn gamers to be aware of their surroundings and stay away from private property, getting into dangerous situations is mostly the gamers’ fault.

The idea of Pokemon Go is controversial, as some think that the game causes dangers. However, the game cautions gamers numerous times to stay out of private property. Even when it senses that a gamer is in a car, the game stops to reassure that the gamer is a passenger. Thus, the game is a good way for people of all ages to get some exercise.

As a a player of the game myself, I find the game to be addictive and fun mainly because everyone else is playing. Although the game does not have the conventional goal of winning a battle or passing a certain level, the ability to get gamers outside of their rooms is extraordinary.  While other apps have been made that try to get gamers to exercise or go outside, Pokemon Go accomplishes this goal by simply recreating their original idea with a clever twist.