Pokemon Go was initially launched on July 5th, 2016 and uses augmented reality (AR) to allow users to find, catch, and battle other players at locations rooted in reality but presented in an animated interface. People who grew up with the franchise, which included playing cards, video games, and a television show, were expectedly immediately attracted to the game because of the nostalgia factor. The gameplay consists of players first creating and customizing an avatar. Once created the avatar travels on a map that mimics real-life locations of the players. On this map player can encounter wild Pokemon that they can catch by flicking pokeballs, as opposed to battling them in the other game installments. Real world landmarks or locations of interests function as either Pokestops, areas where players can get items including pokeballs, or gyms, where players battle for domination of that gym and a chance to install their own pokemon at that gym for coins. Gyms are also locations of raids, where players can team up to battle an overpowered Pokemon for a chance to catch it if defeated. All these in-game activities allow players to earn experience points (XP), which allows players to level up and unlock more features of the game. The game includes many interesting design factors, some of which helped the game become popular, and others which hurt the game’s longevity. The interactive AR forces and encourages users to go outdoors, as battlegrounds and stations were located at real locations, and the incubation period for pokemon eggs depended on the distance users walked. The game has been consistently adding new features and fixing bugs to create a playability reminiscent of the role-playing games of the franchise. While it is free to play, it does offer microtransactions to buy items that will make leveling up slightly quicker. It is important to note that the in-game purchases function more as an added feature, and players are not forced to pay for anything to play the game in its entirety. One of the most unusual aspects of Pokemon Go is perhaps its structure and progression. Like most mobile game apps, the game is designed to go on forever, and the lack of endgame frustrates some while others enjoy it. Pokemon Go builds on that genre by requiring its users to move physically in the real world in order to progress digitally in the game. In East Asia, smartphone games are typically played as a means to kill time (during commutes, lunch breaks etc.), and Pokemon Go opened new doors to this type of mobile gaming and therefore has maintained its market share. In the West, the game was initially a hit. But many gamers in Western countries prefer progressing narratives (RPGs), a genre that is more prevalent but contrasts with the lateral, never-ending gameplay of Pokemon Go, which may have contributed to the decline in Pokemon Go’s player base.