Since its release, the augmented reality game Pokémon Go has taken the mobile gaming by storm, gaining huge number of active users and setting off a real-world craze rarely seen in an app.
While the game has been praised for improving both physical and mental health of players, it has also been criticized for causing accidents and becoming a nuisance at some locations including private homes.
While the game has been praised for improving both physical and mental health of players, it has also been criticized for causing accidents and becoming a nuisance at some locations including private homes.
Central Park was a recent venue for such Poké-mania when the Pokémon Vaporeon appeared nearby the popular New York City landmark. A video shot Thursday night captured a crowd of gamers rushing toward Central Park to capture the highly sought-after Pokémon. Players were shown leaping out of their vehicles to catch the rare virtual creature. One player was even seen leaving his car with the engine still running to join the frenzy.
The description of the YouTube video said the wild free-for-all “stampede” happened around 11 p.m. local time Friday. Hundreds have gathered around the park to play the popular game.
Pokémon Go is expected to reach an even higher level of craziness after launching to several countries over the weekend. The game has rolled out to Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, and Switzerland on Saturday.
