Pokémon fans have wanted to be the very best and catch them all for over twenty years; now they are getting their chance.

A new mobile app, Pokémon Go, has hit the market.  It allows players to find Pokémon in real locations scattered across the globe.

“Pokémon Go takes an established franchise and brings it into the real world,” said Ian La Charite, an administrator for a social sharing organization known as Team Rocket GO. “It encourages people to just get out in the real world and meet people who share your passions, and I think it’s really phenomenal what it’s done.”

The app makes use of augmented reality – a technology which superimposes computer-generated images in the player’s view of the reality. In the case of Pokémon Go this is done by utilizing the GPS system in one’s phone to create hotspots where the creatures are located, then when the player arrives at that location they can look at their camera to see exactly where Pokémon are located in order to catch them.

Since the release on July 6, the game has become a worldwide phenomenon. Organizations such as Team Rocket GO have been popping up all over the globe just as fast as the Pokémon themselves. In fact, in just the first week of its inauguration, Pokémon Go: OSU gathered 500 new members to its page.  

The game encourages players to get out and explore their world. However, there has been some criticism of the game since its debut. There have been reports of players injuring themselves while others have even been caught trespassing.

“If you’re playing the game you need to play it smart, and most people are,” said La Charite. “There are a few people out there that are making it look bad, but I don’t think it’s any worse than anything else a cell phone has had lately. It’s just bigger.”

If you are going to play Pokémon Go it is important to take precautions. It is not recommended to go out alone or play while driving. La Charite urges players to put their phone away while traveling in areas of heavy traffic.