July 17, 2016: SJ Games Catches Pokémon GO Mania

I've been playing Pokémon since Christmas day, 1998. Thousands of my child and adult hours have been poured into the games, from Pokémon Blue all the way to the Pokémon X and Y. I played the Trading Card Game, and I own countless amounts of Pokémon toys and swag. I even get into the math of stats and competitive battling (don't get me started about EVs and IVs). You could say I'm a big fan of the Pocket Monsters.

But not since the game originally hit North American shores have I seen such a surge in Poké-fans as I have with the release of Pokémon GO. We are at a very unique confluence of technology; smart phones are standard, GPS technology has evolved immensely, and social media has changed the way humans communicate. Niantic took advantage of all of this with a game that takes the simple concept of catching monsters by swiping, and amplifies it with aspects like Pokéstops and Gym battles. The game's ability to bring hundreds (and in some cases, thousands) of people together to catch digital monsters is amazing. I've personally met many new acquaintences simply wandering around my neighborhood, not to mention public spaces and the plethora of meetups. Local businesses are even getting a boost from the game, literally luring people into their store with in-game events.

The SJ Games office could not escape the pull, either! Employees are taking part during their lunch breaks and after work, catching and battling. Most of the marketing department has gone Team Mystic, but there are also a few members of Team Valor and Team Instinct in the building (but we're working on moving them to their own special work space).

So while on your adventures, share pictures or screenshots with the hashtag #SJGym on our Various Social Media accounts! I love sharing pictures of trainers trying to be the very best!