(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) By Talal Al-Ghannam KUWAIT, July 20 (KUNA) -- Where is Pokemon? Where is it hiding? How can I catch it? These are questions that are raised by the users of the newly-launched Pokmon Go game which has taken the world by a storm.
The wildly popular mobile app, which is based on a 1990s Nintendo game, has created a global frenzy as players roam the real world looking for virtual cartoon monsters.
The smartphone game, which lets you hunt Pokmon creatures in real life, has already dominated download charts in the US and Australia and made a lot of young people almost crazy trying to hunt down theses little virtual creatures.
The pokemon are spotted in the wild, and are generated based on their geographical habitat. For example, if the pokemon is a water type, it would be found by the sea, rock or ground near deserts, grass in parks or green areas.
People capture the pokemon and gain experience points to reach higher levels. They have an option of joining 1 of 3 teams in the game, which allow the player to conquer gyms that are placed randomly in the environment and compete with other teams.
Pokmon Go is a free-to-play location-based augmented reality mobile game which is developed by Niantic and was released in July 2016 for iOS and Android devices.
There are about 9.55 million active users in the U.S only. Thus it has overcome the active users of twitter and is expected to outgrow every social media.
And if you insist on playing the game, there are many guidelines that you may need to consider while playing including making sure you're wearing appropriate footwear, sneakers or walking shoes that are ideal, ditch the cotton socks as cotton absorbs moisture and get sun protection.
Among the most important tips while using the smart game is to use sunglasses to protect your eyes from UV rays.
While the Pokemon players are out hunting for the creatures, they are advised to drink water, particularly during summer, as it's easy to get dehydrated, doing blister patrol, reapplying sunscreen and remaining aware of the surroundings.
In Kuwait, the country has said "no" to "Pokemon Go" in certain places. The Interior Ministry issued a statement warning users of the smash mobile phone application from taking pictures of any vital government, military or security location. It also warned users not to pounce on Pikachus or chase Charmanders at mosques, shopping centers, malls and oil installations.
Interior Ministry's Undersecretary Lt Gen Sulaiman Al-Fahad has warned that there will be no excuses for anyone claiming ignorance of the law.
Kuwait's Ministry of Communications on hits part has also warned smartphone users against downloading popular smartphone game Pokemon Go.
Assistant Undersecretary Hamad Al-Qattan said the ministry was discussing "means of protection" from such games with the Communications and Information Technology Authority.
He added that games like Pokemon Go may cause harm to its users in particular and society in general.
He pointed out that users of the app might be in danger of potential road accidents if they use the app while driving or crossing roads.
For his part, Media Professor at Kuwait University Dr. Khaled Al-Qahs told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) while commenting on the new trend from a media perspective that this game resembles other games that emerge every now and then, expecting the heavy demand on it would diminish with time.
He added that the game has been exploited for a commercial reason and has also conquered the virtual world, saying that the game would have never been given such popularity if the social media outlets did not constitute as an incubator for it.
On his part, and from a social perspective, Kuwait University's Sociology Professor Dr. Saud Abdulaziz Al-Ghanim told KUNA that once the Pokemon game user starts playing the game he or she separates from his or her real world and indulges into the virtual world and start running after a picture that only appears on his or her mobile screen, thus, becoming unable to take decisive decisions or actions because of his or her indulgence into the virtual world of the Pokemon.
Asked about the social dangers that may arise as a result of the game, Dr. Saud pointed out that the game users may suffer social isolation for being attached to the game rather than the real world and for searching virtual creatures which vary in shape and colors, thus, forcing the game users to escape the real world and indulge into the virtual world instead.
However, with the temperature in Kuwait exceeding 50 degrees in the shade, will the game still be attractive and fascinating to its fans?.
Young people are seen roaming the streets, mosques, malls and at the sea searching for the little creatures, a matter that can cause unwanted harms.
Though "Pokemon Go" hasn't officially come to nations in the Arabian Gulf, many have downloaded the app. Authorities in the United Arab Emirates also have warned users to be careful while chasing digital critters in the augmented reality game.
The game requires the phone to transmit its location via GPS and uses its camera, a matter that prompted the UAE's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority to warn that the game violates privacy and could lead "criminals" to spread viruses.
Lastly, the Pokemon Go game has really turned the virtual world upside down with millions of people around the world becoming addicted to this game, whereas there are thousands of virtual games which have not got this popularity.(end).
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