Letting Go of Pokémon Go?

Some years ago, I wrote about the elements that keep me attracted to play Pokémon Go, and those elements I can still say to remain true to this very day. This time, however, I want to "flip the script" a little bit: I want to talk about elements that deter some players from playing said game (or more precisely, warrant them to let go of playing if they already are). It's a situation that would be regrettable, so for this discussion, I'd like to buffer that up a little bit with some possible solutions or alternatives to mitigate them.

Many players (Trainers) whom I've met and know to have played the game but no longer have said that other responsibilities - Pokémon or otherwise - have gotten in their way of playing the game. And that's understandable, since many of the things in the game do take time and effort to develop and they might not be able to devote that. At the same time, it also seems fair to say that they don't have to devote all of that right away, and they can sneak in time and effort whenever possible, allowing them to still play.

Then, it may be that the people they play with have become "pushy" or toxic in their play behaviors, for which I surmise that a lot of those playing right now share the same sentiment, whether or not they've actually let go of playing the game. The obvious way of mitigating this is to find new people to play with or to play alone sometimes, even if either or both of these may not be viable at times due to the way that the game is dependent on social relations. At least, feelings are allowed to heal within that time.

Yet other players (Trainers) find themselves - or are themselves set - in rural areas with fewer people who may or may not play the game, and traveling to more populated areas may or may not be an option. It may actually be worth it to take one or several days off in this case, as is using Campfire and Wayfarer to try to develop the playability of the area - "build it and they will come", as a certain imaginative work would suggest. If things do develop, it might just be possible to continue play on a more regular basis.

Certainly, there could be many more reasons that players (Trainers) let go of playing Pokémon Go beyond and in addition to the ones I've explained above. The point is that it is apparent that many factors can and do cause them to let go of Pokémon Go, even with all the value that it has for enjoying Pokémon. It's just something that players have to understand for others and themselves, and then to be able to mitigate that with whatever they can muster in order to keep them immersed in the game and not out of it.

One year ago: Limiting Pokémon Merchandise Purchases?

Two years ago: The People I Meet in My Pokémon Dreams

Three years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day Classic, 7/9/2023

Four years ago: On Defining Fans by What They Do

Five years ago: Twilight Wings Addendum

Six years ago: Pokémon Primer?

Seven years ago: Picking Battles

Eight years ago: Cosplay Cards

Nine years ago: Ghosty and Me

Card Completion Bonuses in TCGP

With the release of the most recent expansions for TCGP, both major and minor, there has also been something new to make collecting their cards much more exciting and rewarding. As indicated by the title of this post, that would be bonuses for collecting the cards in those expansions and furthermore completing them. They would definitely be attractive to the players of the game, and even more so to be discussed regarding their particulars.

The bonuses can be classified as "row bonuses" and "group bonuses". "Row bonuses" are given out for a block of five cards in numbered or overnumbered sequence (also because they appear in rows that amount to that in view modes), and group bonuses are given out for a block of cards of certain relationships, which may be few or many depending on the relationship. As newly obtained cards fill in the list, the bonuses are then awarded.

Now, it wouldn't be a bonus if they didn't award something, and they do. The "row bonuses" award Wonder Hourglasses at a rate of two per complete row; it's not much, but it can lead to many if many rows are involved - which is always the case for expansions. The "group bonuses" meanwhile award Trade Hourglasses that may be useful for future trading of the cards in concern with those who may need it. Either way, they can be very useful.

Just in case it's not clear, these bonuses only apply to the most recent expansions (Pulsing Aura and onwards). They don't apply to older expansions of either Series B or Series A, which may be a good thing in order that longtime players don't have an additional advantage conferred to them from the older expansions. For the newer ones, the card completion bonuses then become a defining part in the efforts to obtain new cards for play.

Going through packs for newer TCGP expansions have sometimes proven to take a lot of effort, sometimes with little in return. The new card completion bonuses can then be considered a way of rectifying that, at least in certain ways to give a bit of return. It still takes some effort to go through them for the cards, but now there is an apparent excitement and reward for them that will hopefully keep players going through the new stuff.

One year ago: Pop-up Stores for Pokémon Merchandise

Two years ago: Let's Talk About "Summer Fun"

Three years ago: Cosplay: AORUS Community Gathering

Four years ago: Converting Non-Fans to Pokémon Fans

Five years ago: Every Word Is a Prayer

Six years ago: Dream of Pokémon Life

Seven years ago: "I Could Tell You, But..."

Eight years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 7/8/2018

Nine years ago: Pursuing Shiny?

TCGP: A Special Wonder for Everyday

No, this post does not have anything to do with ice cream or promotions for it. But this post does have a lot to do with the Pokémon TCG - specifically its Pocket implementation. Even so, there is the possibility that ice cream could be very well appreciated by the entities involved in this month's new expansion for the game. And it does have something to do with the premise that the new expansion presents, which is "Everyday Wonders" - exactly titled that.

This new expansion is dubbed a Themed Booster Pack and can thus be considered as a way of tiding things over to the next big one. True to that, it has 106 cards total: 69 in the numbered section and 37 in the overnumbered section. Of the 63 Pokémon that are represented in the numbered section, they're mostly Pokémon that are cute or uniquely designed in their bodies, all of which can make great friends for common days... hence the theme of this expansion.

Meanwhile, the rest of the numbered section are composed of 2 Pokémon Tool cards, 3 Supporter cards, and 1 Stadium card. There are no Item cards in this expansion, which could seem a bit strange, but Item cards from prior expansions may still cover most of the common ("everyday") battle needs involving the Pokémon here. And of course, the new Trainer cards can put their own twists on the battle - two of them, in fact, concern Pokémon Tool usage.

Wonders - especially beyond everyday ones - certainly lie in that overnumbered section, which for this one is just a little more than half the cards in the numbered section, becoming a little more significant. As usual, there are full art versions of some notable species in this expansion, including the Dedenne "immersive", and the Shiny highlights are fascinating as well. Such wonders will certainly fall upon those who are fortunate in opening these packs.

Sometimes, the best and even worst of days need a bit of a wonder power, and Pokémon has been known to be able to furnish that in all of its different ways. TCGP then can become something a little different in that regard, and the newly included Themed Booster Pack for this month exemplifies what (species) it might take for that to happen. Going back to ice cream, that makes for a wondrous moment - and so too can Pokémon in at least some way.

One year ago: Making Pokémon Merchandise Cheap...?

Two years ago: Tournament: Dusk & Dawn Raid Group Open Great League

Three years ago: Showcasing Pokémon at PokéStops

Four years ago: Making Sense of Field Research Tasks

Five years ago: Go Fest Gets Musical

Six years ago: Everyone's Go Fest

Seven years ago: Cosplay: Konbini Anime

Eight years ago: ...However Things Turn Out

Nine years ago: Shiny Stories

Pokémon Go 10th Anniversary

After having mentioned it in the season opener and a few times in other posts but not directly, the day has finally come for it as well as the discussion regarding it. So, this year marks a big anniversary for Pokémon Go, being its tenth - the first with double digits. This one is a big one because it's the consummate peak of all that has gone on with the game and in going out for it, literally and figuratively. For that, I thought about taking the "going (all) out" theme that I previously used for Halloween some years ago and applying it to this anniversary. 

Now, the game has made a name for itself in allowing players (Trainers) to go places with their Pokémon, early on with PokéStops and Gyms and later with events in certain places as well as new elements of Power Spots and Routes. The addition of Gifts, stickers, backgrounds, photo opportunities, and more make each visited place even more memorable, both among Trainers and the Pokémon they have - which I'll get to soon enough. It can be seen that the efforts made for this purpose have been extremely great, which makes it a way of going all out.

Then, there are the Pokémon. They went from one generation, to two, to several - and now it's approaching total parity with almost all currently available species from those generations, with a handful left over for certain purposes. They went into Gym battles, raids, Trainer battles, and somewhat more recently Max Battles, in particular establishing a competitive domain with the third of these. Everyone had to go all out for these, from their shaky and difficult initial implementations to their refined and more accessible current forms as of today.

Of course, with a great anniversary peak comes a great celebratory peak - and in fact, that peak came today with the peak of its anniversary event, which might be considered to have the "go all out" elements of the above. Then, because Pokémon Go Fest (the Global edition, as previewed) is this weekend, that may be considered as the extension of that "peak" and the continuation of the celebration. All Trainers will still need to give it their all for the stretch of the weekend, not to mention to satisfy the "going out" part, which might occur in many ways.

In the ten years that Pokémon Go has existed, it has become a real breakthrough for the franchise in many ways, delivering its first truly mobile experience and paving a path beyond the main series games that it's so traditionally associated with. The progenitors, developers then and now, and the continually reforming player base all have a stake in going (all) out in this regard, and that has been amazing in the game's single-digit life. In the double-digit life, there may just be a lot of the same (or different) efforts they'll contend with.

Happy 10^th anniversary to Pokémon Go.

One year ago: Pokémon Go 9^th Anniversary 

Two years ago: Pokémon Go 8^th Anniversary 

Three years ago: Pokémon Go 7^th Anniversary 

Four years ago: Pokémon Go 6^th Anniversary

Five years ago: Pokémon Go 5^th Anniversary

Six years ago: Pokémon Go 4^th Anniversary

Seven years ago: Pokémon Go 3^rd Anniversary

Eight years ago: Pokémon Go 2^nd Anniversary

Nine years ago: Pokémon Go One-Year Anniversary

Pokémon Go Community Day, 7/4/2026 "On the Fourth of July"

So, what took place the other day on the same day is none other than Community Day for Pokémon Go, which makes it the first time on record that Community Day has ever fallen on such a momentous occasion - and the momentous of moments, at that. Now, the clues for the particular species involved in this specific edition were also delivered yesterday along with the commemoration: the Pokémon is watery, it's even blue, and it has the National Dex number of 816 - the watery part is even literal as stated.

That Pokémon would be the one and only Sobble, who can be a total crybaby if not managed properly - as some Trainers can attest. It evolves twice, first to Drizzile and then Inteleon; as it's a first partner or starter, it no doubt got the Hydro Cannon move for this edition. Like Grookey or Scorbunny (the other two from Galar) from earlier this year, there was also a secondary "signature move" involved - Snipe Shot - which may become an alternative for some Inteleon that are already in the evolutionary form.

Meanwhile, the main bonus was quartered Egg hatch distance, the same as Scorbunny and another opportunity to get Eggs hatched. Then there was the usual cavalcade of bonuses: double Candy and Candy XL chance, three-hour Incense and one-hour Lure Modules (with more appearances), trade discounts and extra Special Trades, photo bombs, special backgrounds, and Research - Field, Timed (from community meetups), and the paid Special set, this time titled "Waterworks" for all that may be sprayed from eyes or otherwise.

For this occasion, as has been mostly the case since some time ago, it was another trip for me to the faraway community, also to deal with other things. I caught a whole lot of Sobble to gain its resources as well as a few of the Shiny form and/or ones with backgrounds, especially to evolve certain ones for primarily PvP purposes with the special move. Other than that, it was mostly to have a good time with them... though I did miss out on a giveaway that now in hindsight may not have mattered much.

With the way that the "basic form" of this family is, there might seem to be one thing or another for it to cry over. Yet once the little guy evolves to the big guy, it can do some real sharpshooting, and that might involve shooting what caused the "waterworks". Or, on the special day for Americans, more "fire" than "water" may be involved, and that becomes a sight to see. In any case, this watery Community Day was not one to be cried over and one to be celebrated - on or off the special day it was on.

One year ago: Pokémon Go Community Day Classic, 7/5/2025 and 7/6/2025

Two years ago: The Cooking Festival in Café Remix

Three years ago: Is Pokémon Second-Rate?

Four years ago: Quickies: Living Around Magnets

Five years ago: Poké Ball Luggage Tag

Six years ago: YouTube Pokémon Highlights - Mewmore Edition

Seven years ago: The Art of Pokémon Adventures - 20th Anniversary Illustrations

Eight years ago: Variegated Pokémon Patterns

Nine years ago: I Side with Pokémon

250 Going on 30 Going on...

Today is a very, very, very, and did I mention very special day. It is the Fourth of July, the day taken as the independence day of the United States of America, but not only that, today is the 250th anniversary of that - termed as the "semiquincentennial", one half of 500 years. It's a significant number, along with this year also being the 30th anniversary of Pokémon. With that being the case, I thought I'd discuss these (and other) numbers as well as challenges faced by both of these sides for their respective commemorations.

Now, 250 years is a long time for a modern nation-state, especially if its bases haven't changed (much) since it started - which is more or less the case for the U.S. in all that time. Yet the varied people and elements that have come since that time have made things a lot more complicated, and in recent times, that also has been a source of certain problems, even for Pokémon fans. Still, things march on and on for the country.

Similarly for Pokémon, after 30 years, its foundational games are still there, but the games themselves have become diverse - and so have the species. That has led to its own set of complications and problems that people on both sides of the developmental divide have had to experience and/or resolve. Like the people of that country, though, they also carry on somehow amidst the challenges that emerge and submerge.

For today, there is even a special yet regular happening for those who deal with Pokémon Go. It involves the number 816 and a certain watery (literally) Pokémon, who after becoming fully evolved can take on a role similar to "oh-oh-seven", another number that many will understand. Its challenges, though, will take another post to explain.

Based on the above, it does seem to take a long time for certain things to have its problems and challenges manifest. Yet the people associated with them also have their ways of carrying on with things, whether it's for the promise of independence that is so associated with that great big country or the promise of adventure as for Pokémon itself.

With that, for this great occasion, I can only wish the best that the special day has to offer, along with continued well wishes for Pokémon for its ongoing anniversary. With their big and little numbers and challenges, hopefully they'll have good things in the future.

One year ago: A New Order of the Ages...?

Two years ago: Blessed Be These Efforts

Three years ago: From Sea to Shining Sea

Four years ago: The U.S. as a "Center" of Pokémon

Five years ago: Searching for Myself... with U.S. Included

Six years ago: A Few Words about U.S. (Us)

Seven years ago: Welcome to the Jungle

Eight years ago: Metal Reversed Cap Pikachu Keychain

Nine years ago: The Subdued Hometown Themes

Quickies: Sitrus in Your Life

One of the most numerous kinds of fruit in the real world is the citrus fruit, which beyond the most commonly known kinds (orange, lemon, and lime) is actually highly varied in content, appearance, and even flavor. It's actually a special kind of berry called a "hesperidium" with a unique structure. Needless to say, that should pique the interest of (and be evocative to) Pokémon fans, who are certainly familiar with the numerous Berries that exist in its world that have nearly similar variations in the aspect above and... well, they're Berries, just like how citrus fruits are actually one kind. It's surely enough to make me want to mention them in writing.

Then there are the names of two of them that are related by the above fact. The Oran and Sitrus Berries, being related by the virtue of being a letter or two off from "orange" and "citrus" respectively, may be considered representative of this class of items and natural objects, not the least of which because they're likely the first ones an upstart Trainer will encounter. They're also known for their HP recovery abilities when they're held by Pokémon, and in that way they're also likely the first kinds of these items that Trainers will learn about using. Like the real citrus fruits they are named for, they'll make their way into the lives of Trainers and become a part.

It is also known that the HP recovery abilities of both Berries are different, with the former recovering a little and the latter recovering a lot. Thus, it can be easily determined which one is likely to be used by Trainers of different skill levels - if they use them at all, which is not always a certainty. Still, if the title of this post is a suggestion, again with reference to the above about citrus fruits being a part of real life, the Sitrus Berry is likely to become a big part of the lives of many Pokémon Trainers. With that being the case, there would then be a lot of HP recovery going on with them being given or used, and that would be as pleasant as it is sharp in effect.

Now, it seems that I've got to go find some Sitrus Berries and make them part of my current life...

One year ago: Redecorating with Café Remix

Two years ago: Team Rocket Apparel from Pokémon Center

Three years ago: Possible Alternatives to (Preserve) Pokémon Go?

Four years ago: Taking on the Unite Challenge

Five years ago: Pokémon Go Community Day, 7/3/2021

Six years ago: More Pokémon Go "Goofs"

Seven years ago: I Splurged, for Once

Eight years ago: Pokémon Yellow Pikachu Shirt

Nine years ago: Spicy Tamato