AsPokemon GOcontinues to get people socializing, a new dating service called PokéDates launches, looking to pair up players who are looking for love.
Released earlier this month, augmented reality appPokemon GOhas proved so popular that is already changing the ways in which people socialize. The free to play title, which sees players head out into the real-world to catch Pokemon, is seeing people make new friends and connections withGame Rantpreviously writing thatPokemon GObreaks the ‘solitary experience’ of being a gamer. In fact, the game is that effective at getting people out onto the streets that arare Pokemon appearance led to a stampedein New York City’s Central Park.
This impact on people’s social lives is now set to go one step further thanks to the help of aPokemon GOdating service called PokéDates. Those who aren’t just interest in making friends thanks to the game – and are perhaps looking for love – can tell the PokéDates team information about themselves and what they’re looking for in a ‘PokeMate,’ share their schedule and then they’ll get an email confirming the time and place of the meet up along with a few details about their match.
According to the company behind PokéDates, Project Fixup, users’ first PokéDate match is free of charge (though participants take care of the cost of the meet up itself). The How It Works page for the company’s non-Pokemon GOrelated meet up service seems to suggest that following dates will cost $20 (minimum) and users will only be charged if the meet up is confirmed by both parties. Moreover, Project Fixup notes that it is open to members of the LGBTQ community and caters to people of all races, gender identities and ages, though presumably users must be 18 or over (as is the case with many other dating services).
The big question moving forward, however, is whether this commercial piggybacking will turn some users off playing the game. The allure of catching Pokemon in the real world is unlikely to drop off completely any time soon but in the long-run, the attempts to make money from the game’s success could seePokemon GO’s sheen dim.
