REMEMBER 2016? The world was swept up in Pokemon mania when mobile game Pokemon GO burst onto the scene, cashing in on a novel concept and childhood nostalgia.

The map-based game features well-loved characters from the Pokemon universe – most notably Pikachu. It relies on players walking around to encounter wild Pokemon and spinning PokeStops for supplies.

It was not uncommon to see hordes of people glued to their phones trying to “catch ‘em all”. But the hype has since died down… or has it not?

Actually, there is still a thriving Pokemon GO community in Malaysia with active groups on Facebook and WhatsApp.

Avril Chan, an avid Pokemon Go player, explains that the game has evolved from its early days. She admitted it remained stagnant for a good few months but in 2017, many new features were added including raiding, trading and daily tasks. This renewed interest and brought many players back to the game.

The community that Avril travels in is a lively one featuring members from all ages and all walks of life. They meet up regularly not just to play Pokemon Go, but to catch up on each other’s lives too.

She counted professionals like doctors, lawyers and bankers as players. The game has also caught the fancy of the older generation, with enthusiasts as old as 70, helping them keep active.

Despite such an active community, Pokemon GO players tend to keep their hobby to themselves for fear of judgment.

“The stigma attached would be somewhat like we are afraid of being shamed for liking what we like. Not so much feeling embarrassed among friends, but shamed,” said Avril.

“I think the stigma is also, we don’t want to be not taken seriously.” She adds that a common reaction they get is to “grow up”.

However, that has not stopped Avril and she is part of an active community built around the game.

Do you play Pokemon GO? – January 20, 2019.