Pokemon Go takeover comes to Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS — A zombie apocalypse hasn't taken over Eastern Iowa, or much of the rest of the civilized world, but it may feel like it.

If you haven't heard of Pokémon Go by now you've no doubt seen evidence locally of the game sweeping the nation. Dozens of fans — young and old — are wandering around public spaces, such as parks, malls, libraries and sidewalks, holding out phones seemingly on some secret mission.

Players try to catch virtual Pokémon — short for pocket monster — characters such as Pikachu and Charizard.

'My boss said, put your phone away, and I said, I can't, I have too many Pokémon to catch,' said Phillip May, 26, of Cedar Rapids. 'I play it non-stop. It's addicting.'

It's a little different then the typical distracted cellphone user. In this game, the phone screen is a map, in which users line up real world surroundings with a virtual depiction on the screen. The map navigates players to PokéStops where they accumulate points and elevate status.

'You can tell who's doing it,' said Mitchell Hein, 24, who was playing the game on the Third Avenue Bridge while walking back to his car on Monday afternoon. 'I was at (Greene Square) yesterday, and there must have been 100 people playing. It's such a different type of game.'

Thousands have downloaded Pokémon Go — which is related to the card game and television show that started in the 1990s — since its release last Wednesday.

'It's only going to grow, especially for the next few months,' said Tim Woolums, co-owner of Hobby Corner in Iowa City. 'Interest is pretty big. There's enough nostalgia to bring in a lot of people who played it back in the day, and it's bringing in a lot of new people. Everyone has a smartphone.'

Pokémon Go was developed by The Pokémon Co., which is partly-owned by Nintendo, and Niantic Inc., which is connected to Google parent Alphabet Inc., according to the Pokémon website. A CNN report states Pokémon Go is soon to surpass Twitter in popularity on Android phones, and the game has sent Nintendo stock soaring, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

The game is intended for audiences age nine and older and has 'infrequent/mild cartoon or fantasy violence,' according to the description posted on Apple's App Store. The game already has 44,000 reviews.

Physical activity is a major component, which has some thrilled.

Teri Stueck, 49, of Cedar Rapids, played on her lunch hour at Greene Square. The game has served as a connection for her and her son.

'It's getting kids out and walking around, and it's a way to bond with their parents,' Stueck said, noting she walked about 10,000 steps in a short time on Sunday evening.

The game gets players out of the house for exercise while they attempt to rack up accomplishments. Walking more leads to more rewards.

'Michelle Obama has been trying to get kids out and active for the last eight years, and Nintendo did it in 24 hours,' said Matt Gaede, 20, of Cedar Rapids, who was collecting PokéBalls, which are used to catch Pokémon, at Greene Square on Monday.

The overnight popularity also brought some possible concerns, such as collisions with vehicles.

The game itself warns to 'stay alert' of surroundings. CNN reported robbers used locations from the game to find victims in isolated places in Missouri, a teen found a dead body in a river while looking for a 'water Pokémon' in Wyoming, and some people have had their homes unwittingly designated as meeting places in the game causing unexpected disruptions.

Marion Police took to Twitter to caution residents.

'Sorry #PokémonGO'ers, there are no PokéStops at the police department. (Reminder, public parks close at 10:30 p.m.) #GottaCatchemAll,' the Marion Police Twitter handle stated, which gained national attention from CBS News.

'Like any application, we would recommend that people not walk or drive while distracted,' Cedar Rapids police spokesman Greg Buelow said, noting there haven't been any incidents reported locally.

'We would recommend that people be aware of their surroundings and don't go into an area where you don't feel comfortable or it doesn't feel right,' he said. 'Having a partner or friend with you is helpful. We would echo that you need to respect private property and park rules, especially for hours.'

For those concerned about data privacy, numerous media outlets have also drawn attention to the privacy agreement required by the app in which users grant permission for widespread access to what's on your phone and in accounts linked to your phone including contacts, emails, IP address, photos, search history, map use, among other items.