Addiction or not?

Very clever marketing.

Whist the game is free, you have to buy 'coins' to capture the little critters the game seems to be about.
Clever gamers are doing the hard work, then selling their accounts to lazy people who want the stuff but can't be bothered to do the work to get it.

It will last until the next pointless rubbish comes along.

Oops

http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news … te-palace/

"Pokemon Go is a game that searches for location-based Pokemon and is a data collection system for the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, which is similar to what the CIA [the US's Central Intelligence Agency] has done to Facebook," the note said.

The camera, when used through the app, can transmit photographs or video of the location, alongside the acquire Pokemon.

Military and police personnel have been advised not to play the game, especially within high security areas.

Sutiyoso, chief of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), has likewise warned the public against playing the game around similar sensitive sites.

“Those who love the game may play, by still be aware of the safety of themselves and others. As the game uses real-time camera, there will be security risks when played at [specific sites],” Sutiyoso said on Friday.

Ner, that can't be true and I'm sure Niantic Labs' start up with venture capital from IQT (Set up by the CIA in 1999) is absolutely nothing to do with anything.

Sometimes I am so glad I am in a third world country.  I have no clue what you are talking about and I think I like it that way

Bob K

Bob K wrote:

Sometimes I am so glad I am in a third world country.  I have no clue what you are talking about and I think I like it that way

Bob K

Some are accusing the game of being a CIA information collection tool, suggesting that intelligence organisation will collect live camera feeds from players in sensitive areas around the world such as embassies or military bases.
Whilst I'm very careful with app permissions for mostly commercial reasons, I don't discount anything of this nature, but I usually assume it's a tin foil hat job until something concrete comes along.
Indonesian intel are telling people not to use the game in secure areas, and the start up funds seem to have come from the CIA, so I'm inclined to take the suggestion more seriously.

All about information collection in the form of an online game.

Kids in NZ have been injured whilst wandering about trying to find the avatar.
In Australia kids were found in a restricted dangerous area of a power station.

The ACC (Accident Compensation Commission) in NZ has put out a warning about whether they will pay out on claims for injuries associated with PG.

Someone will eventually be seriously injured or die.