Pokémon GO and the city : How Pokémon GO players in Uppsala use, experience and connect to the city

Abstract: Pokémon GO hit the world with a bang in the summer of 2016 and has since then set new records regarding revenue on multiple occasions. It has been researched extensively, although first and foremost from a HCI (human-computer interactions) and healthcare/public health perspective. In particular, studies approaching the phenomenon from a human geography and urban planning perspective have been very limited. This study therefore takes an inductive and exploratory approach and explores the ways in which Pokémon GO influences how players use and experience the city and how urban planners can use Pokémon GO in their work. To do this, nine interviews were conducted, six with currently active players and three with completely new players. A number of different themes emerged from the interviews and was subsequently used to structure the results. Physical activity, social interactions and benefits and exploration and discovery were the most prominent themes and also the most frequently mentioned reasons why players enjoy the game. Finally the findings are discussed in relation to planning with a focus on participatory planning practices but also in more general terms regarding urban and spatial planning.