Pokemon Go players prove the community is still as wholesome as 2016

Jessica Filby
Pokemon Go community

Pokemon Go players are sharing their heartwarming stories to prove that the community is still as wholesome as it was back in 2016.

Pokemon Go has come a long way since it was released in 2016 – but it’s hard to forget what it was like when the game came out. Thousands descended to the streets to ‘catch ’em all’ and what many saw was truly a marvel. No other game has managed to achieve what Pokemon Go did in that first year, and since then we’ve seen a community like no other.

Sure, there are always negative elements that come out of a community and the gripes many have with the game, and with that, it becomes tricky to remember the good times that still occur. However, they’ve not disappeared, with tons now sharing their stories to prove PoGo is just as heartwarming as it used to be.

Pokemon Go players share heartwarming stories to prove the game is still wholesome

A live action trailer shows two Pokemon Go players preparing to trade, with virtual Poke Balls appearing above their phones

Sharing their own heartwarming story on Reddit, one user began a thread of community tales filled with wholesome friendships, loves, and just a mass of players coming together to prove Pokemon Go is far from dead.

They began the thread by sharing their own story: “On my drive back home from work today while stuck on a super long red light, I hopped on the game and quickly put my Pokémon in a gym. I then heard a honk to my left side and saw another guy in his car showing me his phone – he was also playing Pokémon Go lol. We had a laugh about it in our cars and we gave each other a thumbs up. I’ve been playing on and off for years and when Pokémon Go was released it was truly a sight to see when people gather together over the game.”

Others took to the comments to share their own wholesome stories, with one sharing how they were “walking alone playing and had a whole family across the street start a raid and yell and ask if I was playing and would like to join. After we won they gave me some advice on mega evolutions I didn’t know! There are definitely still some wholesome moments!”

For many, Pokemon Go is more than just a game, with its community and raid hours helping players through tricky times: “The community in my area has been wonderful. I’ve met several friends through the game and the raid hours on Wednesday give me a reason to get out and socialize. The socialization has helped me cope with the tough times I’m dealing with atm.”

Along with being the player to be embraced by other fans, some shared how they helped increase the fun for others, with one explaining how they likely made one kids day: “When the first Mewtwo raids came out we had a group of us driving around to get them all. At one place there’s a kid playing alone, maybe 8 or 9yrs old. The kid asks if he can join us because he really wanted Mewtwo. We do the battle and all do our catching and we see the kid getting upset cuz he wasn’t staying in the ball and he finally gets him and lets out a small scream and had tears of happiness, like pure joy. We all cheer him on etc…It was a great day for that kid.”

While there’s no shortage of negativity in Pokemon Go, with bugs, glitches, and frustrating rollouts often occurring, it’s important to not forget this sort of community and love. It’s what makes Pokemon Go the game it is.

About The Author

Based in Cumbria, England, Jessica is a Senior Games Writer who joined Dexerto after stints at Game Rant and The Gamer. You can find her covering everything from Minecraft, CoD, Disney Dreamlight Valley, Pokemon Go and more. You can contact Jessica at jessica.filby@dexerto.com