Pok\'emon GO to Pok\'emon STAY: How Covid-19 Affected Pok\'emon GO Players

TL;DR

This study explores how COVID-19 affected Pokémon GO players, highlighting changes in social interactions, coping strategies, and perceptions of the game during the pandemic through qualitative interviews.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the pandemic's impact on location-based gaming communities using qualitative data and player testimonies.

Findings

In-person socialization became more important for players.

Players used Pokémon GO as a coping mechanism during COVID-19.

Perceptions of people-place relationships were influenced by intentionality.

Abstract

Since its creation, the Location-Based Game (LBG), Pok\'emon GO, has been embraced by a community of fans across the world. Due to its recency, the impact of COVID-19 on the community of Pok\'emon GO players is underexplored. We address how COVID-19 has impacted the players of Pok\'emon GO by building upon existing work focusing on player gratifications and impacts in Pok\'emon GO. Through semi-structured interviews, we provide a snapshot of the state of LBG play during unprecedented times. These player testimonies demonstrate (1) the importance of in-person socialization to LBG, (2) additional ways players use the game as a coping mechanism, and (3) how intentionality mediates player perceptions of people-place relationships. In demonstrating these behaviors, we provide a glimpse of how a game that forces players to explore the world around them changed when going outside with friends became a source of danger.