Pokemon Go has Albany out and about

ALBANY — The latest video game craze has hit Albany, and its enthusiasts are being encouraged to get out and about in the Good Life City to round up a new species of “wildlife.” Pokemon Go has caught fire within the area and many can be seen milling about popular Pokemon stops downtown such as Riverfront Park.

The virtual reality game has designated stops where one can swipe and collect “Pokeballs” and capture creatures familiar to fans of the the original Pokeman game. Stops downtown include the Flint RiverQuarium, the Dougherty County Public Library and several other places in between and around.

Wild Pokemon appear while a player, using his cellphone, is walking and the user can swipe to throw a Pokeball and capture it. Once a player has become a level five user, they’re allowed into gym stops to train and battle other users. Downtown Albany has several gym stops, including the Albany Welcome Center, where gamers can go and interact with others playing the game.

That was the scene Thursday evening as Jeff Sylvain and several of his friends gathered near the Welcome Center to hang out, catch a few Pokemon and battle.

Sylvain said he saw many of his friends on Snapchat snapping about the game, and he decided to download it and try it out for himself. The 20-year-old Darton State College student is old enough to remember when Pokemon was still relatively new in the early 2000s and said the game is somewhat of a dream-come-true for fans.

“Everybody would always say, ‘What would do if Pokemon were real?’ You always play with your friends and ask your friends that,” he said. “But now that it’s real, it’s kinda got the curiosity of all the people that have played. Almost everybody, I think, has played. If they played [the original] video game, then it’s fun to play the game.”

For 15-year-old Kate Freeman, Pokemon Go is a new experience. Having not been born during Pokemon’s first heyday, she didn’t have much first-hand knowledge but decided to try the game anyway.

“I didn’t really know much about it,” she said. “[I tried it] out of boredom. I had nothing else to do.”

She was at the park with her parents and brother, and said playing the game is a fun experience.

As the game picks up momentum, several local establishments are trying to get in on the action and encourage residents to stop by. The Albany Museum of Art is one such location. The spot is not only a place to replenish Pokeballs, but a gym as well. Amanda Morris, the museum’s marketing and public relations manager, said with the museum offering free admission, it makes for a perfect spot to just come, hang out and socialize.

She noted that the exhibits currently on display, such as “Motion Forward: Street Style” and “The Art and Sole of a Sneakerhead,” generally appeal to the crowd playing the game.

“We try to mix things up a little,” she said. “We have more than just boring paintings on the wall. We have things that youths can really enjoy. We don’t just have boring two-dimensional pieces. We have things that you can actually care about. Like the sneakers. Even if you don’t collect sneakers yourself, it’s still really interesting to see what has been made into a collectible.”

Morris said Pokemon Go has the potential to generate some business to different parts of the city while helping community members bond.

“I think it could do a lot,” she said. “I think it could help people bond, maybe, and get people out. Usually downtown is not super popular. So if there’s already groups of people walking downtown, that’s great. I know we’re not really walking accessible like downtown is, but we’re still a good spot to visit.”