3 ways how Pokemon Go functions as a Healthcare App

Although it was launched for altogether different reasons, increasingly, data is beginning to reveal the unintentional healthcare benefits of the Pokemon Go App. Here are the top 3 reasons how Pokemon Go is functioning as a Healthcare/Fitness Tracking App, albeit inadvertently.

1. It forces people to head out

The chief attraction of Pokemon Go is that it is an App meant to be used outdoors. The moment the App is launched, players are directed to head to prominent local landmarks (called Pokestops within the game world) to gather required game supplies. This includes the essential Pokeballs, which need to be hurled at the monsters in order to capture them. The final objective of the game being to capture as many monsters as possible, this inherent reward mechanism is forcing people to step out and get active. It is also imperative that players walk or use other slow-moving mechanisms. Driving is not allowed, as players are required to stay within the 10 or 15 miles-per-hour speed limit.

2. It uses the instant gratification of Augmented Reality

The biggest stumbling block to any mobile fitness tracker is the instant gratification that they offer. People quickly tire of congratulatory messages or daily points and level-ups. So while they may use activity-tracking Apps in the short duration for the novelty value, this tends to wear out rather quickly. Secondly, Pokemon Go is not being pitched as a Healthcare or Activity App. Players are inadvertently using it as one. Apparently the ability to view the world around us through Pokemon-tinted glasses is a compelling enough motive to get out and get active. Over 21,000,000 daily active users in the US alone stand testimony to its attraction!

3. Leaderboard domination quest

According to available data, an American player (Reddit Username ftb_hodor) has currently managed to catch 142 types of Pokemon out of a possible 150. If that isn’t impressive enough for you consider this. In his quest to dominate the leaderboard, ftb_hodor is reputed to have walked over 95 miles with the App open on his mobile device! When viewed from the stereotypical perspective of gaming aficionados being couch potatoes, Apps like Pokemon Go are proving just the contrary.