By David Fleet

Editor

You just can’t play this game sitting down.

That’s how Marek Sosnoski, 13, views the augmented reality smartphone game Pokémon Go, which debuted on July 9 in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand and has since stirred millions to step outside and walk, run or bike, seeking some unique fictional characters in the real world.

“This game gets me outside,” said Sosnoski, a Brandon Township resident and high school freshman who on Monday was riding through Ortonville catching Pokémon seemingly floating in the village. “On a summer day I’d be inside on my computer or playing video games. But I just covered about two miles today on my bike playing Pokémon Go.”

Sosnoski is just one of millions of players that spot Pokémon critters and flick a Pokeball toward toward such creatures as Bulbasaur, Ivysaur and Venusaur to capture them on the app powered by GPS. What makes the game so unique is the Pokémon “appear” around players on their phone screens, enabling them to capture the creatures in different locales. As players move around, different and more types of Pokémon will appear depending on time and location.

While the entertainment factor has drawn millions to the app, area businesses are also jumping on the Pokémon Go phenomenon.

Shauna Quick, Brandon Township Library adult services associate, discovered on Monday that the library at 304 South St. in the village is a Pokémon Gym—the biggest feature on the in-game map.

“The gyms are often real-world meeting places,” said Quick. “We did not ask for that, it just happens with places like libraries and other big public areas. We’re a hot spot for the game so we are using that through Facebook to draw players to the library. We have free Wi-Fi, seating and they can charge their phone here. It’s a way to attract people to our library.”

The Gym area is a Pokémon location where players can also fight— just in virtual reality.

Terry Smith, 23, is an Ortonville resident that began playing Pokémon about 20 years ago. On Tuesday morning he was playing Pokémon Go on South Street along with his wife, Emily.

“Honestly, we are very nerdy people,” he said. “I work inside all day and Pokémon Go gets me outside for walks with my family and friends. All it takes is a powerful phone and batteries that last. I’ve walked about 23 miles since the game came out, where in the past, maybe a mile a week. It seems there’s games out there like Wii Fit that get people moving, but Pokémon Go seems to do a better job of that. Better yet, Pokémon Go gets people interacting with others out playing, too.”