Pokémon Go Eats Astoria and LIC (and Beyond)

If you haven’t heard about it, you’ve probably been sleeping under a rock—Pokémon Go is the hottest thing to hit the area in a long time. It’s the first real breakout augmented reality game/app and it’s being credited for everything from bloodied limbs to alleviating depression. Apparently it’s bigger than Tinder and is coming for Twitter, too (which, depending on who you talk to, is already dead).

I first heard about it on Reddit last weekend but didn’t think much about it until it was all over social media, radio, and the TV news in subsequent days. There’s an Astoria/LIC Pokémon Go Facebook group, so you can connect with other players, as well as an AstoriaPokémon Go subreddit (I also mentioned these earlier this week in our newsletter—have you subscribed?). People are starting to suggest ways to socialize over the game, with pub crawls and group hunts as fun activities.

(As an aside, Pokémon Go reminds me of Geocaching a little. There are all sorts of geocaches in Astoria Park, BTW, and an app will help you find them. The hunt is a good time and it’s oh so satisfying to find what you’re looking for.)

We took a look at Instagram and found some photos of Pokémons caught by locals, which we’ll share with you. First up, though, is the Pokéball doughseed (a small donut) from Doughnut Plant in LIC! The Queens location also happens to be a PokéStop.

Playing #PokemonGo this weekend? Get all the #Pokeseeds you need at #doughnutplant (They won’t help you catch Pokemon but they are delicious!) Our Chelsea and Queens locations are PokéStops, and LES is a gym. #gottacatchemall

A photo posted by Doughnut Plant (@doughnutplant) on Jul 8, 2016 at 7:19pm PDT

More in LIC:

Good morning and be careful out there 😂 #longislandcity

A photo posted by Long Island City, Queens (@gantrygram) on Jul 12, 2016 at 4:50am PDT

Guess I walked down the wrong block today. Luckily I was able to take a photo of him before he knocked me out… 💥💢💢💢💥 #Robbery #PokemonGo #UrbanPoetry #LongIslandCity #NYC #Pokemon #Pinsir

A photo posted by Russell Louise Uddin 🕉☯💟 (@russuddin) on Jul 10, 2016 at 3:39pm PDT

I’m predicting people playing Pokemon Go will hit by cars in the near future, despite the disclaimer in the beginning of the game.

A photo posted by ddc95 (@ddc95) on Jul 10, 2016 at 12:01pm PDT

Finally got Pikachu~~~😍😍😍 #longislandcity #pokemon #pokemongo #lic #night #crazydog #nyc #nightlife #pikachu #queens #lucky #everyoneisplaying #pokemonapp #teddybeardog #teddy #doggy #dogoftheday

A photo posted by Candice_LLL (@candice_lllll) on Jul 9, 2016 at 4:08pm PDT

Astoria is also full of Pokémons (we hear Astoria Park has a bunch). Here are a few in the neighborhood.

You are mine muhaha #hooked #tangela #astoria #tangles #pokemongo

A photo posted by Ji (@imgyoo) on Jul 12, 2016 at 12:35pm PDT

Sometimes I think that I’m grown up because I have a cool job, a nice apartment, a 401(K), and then other times I knock an 8-year-old kid off of his skateboard to catch this Psyduck. Sorry, Jake! #PokemonGo #Psyduck #astoria #astoriapark #hellsgate

A photo posted by Jay Tas (@firejaytas) on Jul 12, 2016 at 4:52am PDT

THAT AIN’T SAFE DODUO #pokemongo #Pokemon #astoria #nyc #subway #doduo

A photo posted by Samantha Cioppa (@samjeanciop) on Jul 11, 2016 at 4:25pm PDT

BTW, apparently St. Irene Chrysovalantou Church is a Pokéstop, just in time for their annual street festival.

And while this is all fun and games now, you better believe the wheels are turning in some heads, trying to figure out how to integrate the game into a marketing strategy (see Doughnut Plant above). One site I ran into had a page with a section entitled, “How to ‘lure’ people to your business with a Lure in Pokémon Go.” Inc. has spelled it out pretty well, too.

So how about you—do you play Pokémon Go? Do you think it is a lame waste of time? What do you make of how popular the game is? Feel free to share links to your Pokémon Go oriented photos, too.

2 Comments

Threemoons July 14th, 2016

Can you please recommend a specific app/public map to follow? Link above is just for generic info on geocaching…thanks! :D

Reply

Meg Cotner July 14th, 2016

Yes, I linked to the search so that readers could look at the options and make their own choices. I use https://www.geocaching.com/play. I do not know if it’s better than the others but it works for me on my iPhone. Good luck.

Reply