_0gzg316v2-banner
_xjbsge9au-banner

Before You Go

Get 30% off Britannica Premium and access unlimited, fact-checked content today.

SUBSCRIBE
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica
SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Pokémon GO
Table of Contents
  • Introduction
  • Pros
    • Pro 1: There are mental and physical health benefits from playing the game.
    • Pro 2: The game has brought people together, creating a sense of community.
    • Pro 3: The game has been a boon to local businesses.
  • Cons
    • Con 1: Playing the game has led to injuries, even deaths.
    • Con 2: The app encourages unhealthy impulses and gaming in inappropriate places.
    • Con 3: The app spurs gaming disorders, privacy concerns, and criminal activity.
  • 1-minute Survey
  • Discussion Questions
  • Take Action
  • Sources
References & Edit History Related Topics
Images & Videos
Augmented reality gaming
Pokémon GO
Read Next
Pokemon Go is a new augmented reality game which lets you walk in the real world to catch the Pokemon.
Pro and Con: Pokémon Go
Computer mapping, woman at early 1990s computer
Timeline of the 1990s
Discover
Close up of books. Stack of books, pile of books, literature, reading. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
12 Novels Considered the “Greatest Book Ever Written”
Internet http://www blue screen. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, media news television, crowd opinion protest, In the News 2009, breaking news
Who Invented the Internet?
Figure 13: A Maxim machine gun, belt-fed and water-cooled, operated by German infantrymen, World War I.
7 Deadliest Weapons in History
Turtle, tortoise, reptile. Uses assets 88582 & 89606
What’s the Difference Between a Turtle and a Tortoise?
Shadow of a man holding large knife in his hand inside of some dark, spooky buiding
7 of History's Most Notorious Serial Killers
Lusitania sinking, illustration from The War of the Nations (New York), December 31, 1919. World War I, WWI. This image is one of three on the page. (See source file for the other two.)
7 of the World’s Deadliest Shipwrecks
Los Angeles Police Department wanted flyer on Elizabeth Short, aka the "Black Dahlia," who was brutally murdered in January 1947. The FBI supported the Los Angeles Police Department in the case, including by identifying Short through her fingerprints that
America’s 5 Most Notorious Cold Cases (Including One You May Have Thought Was Already Solved)

Pokémon GO: Related Content

Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Photos and Videos

Augmented reality gaming
Pokémon GO
See All Videos and Images →

Related Topics and References

Topics
online gamingArtificial Intelligence (AI)TikTokSocial MediaCell PhonesTablets vs. TextbooksVideo GamesCancel CultureInternetNet NeutralityBinge-watching

History at your fingertips – Sign up here to see what happened On This Day, every day in your inbox!
By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Click here to view our Privacy Notice. Easy unsubscribe links are provided in every email.
Thank you for subscribing!
Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox.
Stay Connected
Facebook X YouTube Instagram

  • About Us & Legal Info
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Equal Opportunity
©2025 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Pokémon GO". Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/facts/Pokemon-GO-debate. Accessed 29 May 2025.
Share
Share to social media
Facebook X
URL
https://www.britannica.com/facts/Pokemon-GO-debate