One of the most popular Pokéstops in Corpus Christi, the Water Gardens in the S.E.A. District downtown draws crowds of Pokémon hunters. Photo by Carrie Robertson Meyer/Third Coast Photo
The latest trend in mobile gaming is getting people to explore the world around them — and step into your business as well. Pokémon GO, which was released for IOS and Android, started a craze around the world as gamers jumped off their couches and headed to the streets to catch cute creatures such as Pikachu, Charmander and Squirtle.
The thing that makes Pokémon GO different from other mobile games is that it’s based on real time and location, or “augmented reality.” You can’t play this game from home; you have to get up, get out and explore. Also, it’s not totally new. Pokémon has been around since the 1990s when cards based on the TV show characters were traded back and forth between fans. As the craze became an obsession in elementary school, many campuses banned students from bringing them to school.
Now, Corpus Christi is crawling with the same catchable creatures on mobile screens. They can be found near Pokéstops, locations where users can collect items for the game. Pokéstops are everywhere, most commonly near tourist attractions or at local restaurants, bars, museums and more.
Businesses have been capitalizing on the game by hosting Pokémon-themed events and giving discounts to gamers. Many are also attaching lure modules to Pokéstops. By attaching a lure, the Pokéstop lights up for 30 minutes and attracts rare Pokémon — and, in turn, Pokémon hunters.
La Palmera mall has six Pokéstops and three gyms, where gamers go to battle. The mall has hosted several Pokémon GO events on its property with retailers offering discounts to players.
Another local business cashing in on the phenomena is Funtrackers, a party and entertainment center where visitors have access to rides, games, Wi-Fi, charging stations, cafe specials and more.
The Corpus Christi Hooks have hosted several Pokémon GO nights at Whataburger Field, offering discounted tickets with the promo code “pokemon” and leading parades around the track to catch Pokémon.
Play Again Classic Party Center on Everhart has had an extraordinary uptick in business since the game was released. The business rents out its space, which contains a host of classic arcade games, for private events and parties. It has a Pokéstop on site and invites people to come and fill up their Pokédex, a mini-encyclopedia of Pokémon species collectors keep on their phones.
Play Again sells videogames and game consoles in a space adjacent to the party center. Since Pokémon GO was released, all of their classic Pokémon games from the late 1990s and early 2000s have sold out.
“Since the game came out, I’ve booked about 10 extra parties and have had a lot of people come in next door,” store manager Michelle Sanders said. “Fifteen percent of people didn’t know we were here, but they do now because of the Pokéstop.”
The South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center has also seen a large amount of visitors since the game’s release. They offer a discount on admission when gamers show the app to the front desk. Once they’re in, they can enjoy the nine Pokéstops and two gyms in the gardens.
“We see people walking around with their phones and having a great time, enjoying the gardens while they’re at it,” said MaryJane Crull, communication and marketing director. “Mostly, it’s been a high concentration of high school and college students — lots of younger adults — who played the original Pokémon games when they were kids.”
