Pokemon Go wants to make you a bit more social. That’s not to say you aren’t a sparkly butterfly of public interaction already, but Niantic is still going to nudge you to make gaming a community affair.
Forbes reports that a series of Pokemon Go block parties are on the horizon. It’s an officially sponsored shindig too, with Niantic teaming with The Knight Foundation to bring people together and (if they’re on the ball) use the people around you to stop your ass from getting injured playing a mobile game. More so the civic participation thing.
“We founded Niantic to give people the chance to connect with the world around them using technology and games in innovative ways,” said Niantic CEO John Hanke. “The partnership with The Knight Foundation is a great forum to explore how technology can drive civic engagement.”
BOOM! Gaming plus the occasional bit of eye contact. At these events, sections of the hosting city would be blocked off with the aim to get people in the community to get out and interact with one another without having to sacrifice gaming time. The first event (in what could be a series) is slated to go down on May 7 in Charlotte, North Carolina and exist within the confines of the Open Streets 704 community festival. 16 PokeStops and two Gyms will be marked within the city. Don’t feel too left out if you can’t make it to Charlotte, though. Grass-type Pokémon are going to be appearing in abundance from May 5-8.
(Via Forbes)