I’ve Been Playing Pokémon GO For Almost Ten Years– Is It Still Fun?

I’ve Been Playing Pokémon GO For Almost 

Ten Years– Is It Still Fun?

It’s hard to believe that Pokémon GO, an AR gaming experience which brings the joy of Pokémon into 

the real world, has been around for almost ten years now. No, really, it is! Thinking about how much time 

has passed since then honestly makes my head spin. Most people probably know about Pokémon GO 

from its initial boom back in 2016, when it first came out. It was a real craze for a good few months, 

but over time, it died down in popularity, and now, it’s not something that’s often mentioned in 

mainstream culture. But is that because it’s fallen off, or simply an effect of the natural lifespan of all 

pop-culture trends?

Well, I’m someone who’s been playing the game nearly since its inception. I caught my partner pokémon,

 a Charmander, back on September 17th of 2016, and I’ve been enjoying the game ever since. 

Admittedly, I haven’t been playing particularly consistently– there have been on and off periods– but I’ve

 never let go of it completely, even as the years have passed. Why is that? Well, simply put, the game

 never lost its spark for me. Plus, I’m a huge nerd, and I really like Pokémon! 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Pokémon GO, the gameplay loop is fairly simple. You explore

 your local area and catch Pokémon with Pokéballs. You restock on essential items by visiting Pokéstops. 

Once you reach level five, you can pick your team, either Mystic, Instinct, or Valor. Then you can 

challenge Pokémon Gyms, fighting to claim them for your team capture-the-flag style by defeating other 

player’s Pokémon in battles and leaving your own strongest to defend the gyms until they’re defeated 

themselves. You can also take on Raid and Max battles, fight off Team Rocket, follow quests from 

Professor Willow, and more. What really makes the game interesting, though, is its AR features and real 

world location factoring into its gameplay. Pokéstops can be found based on interesting locations in your 

local area, and the Pokémon you find depend on your environment in the real world. 

When summed up like that, it seems fairly simple. It doesn’t seem like enough to dedicate ten years to. 

But there’s a lot more to the game than it first appears. I think one of the reasons I’ve stayed so long is 

because it’s a game that’s always changing. 

Ever since I started playing, there have been updates added to bring new content to the game. It’s 

continued to receive support even to this day. This makes sense– even though it’s not been as well known 

in the mainstream consciousness since its boom in popularity in 2016, Pokémon GO still has a dedicated 

playerbase who enjoy the game. Because of this, it always feels like there’s something fresh and exciting 

to do. 

I think the update I remember best is the update that added Buddy Pokémon. It was a long while ago 

now, but it changed my enjoyment of the game entirely. A Buddy Pokémon is a Pokémon that you can 

choose out of all the Pokémon you’ve caught to accompany you when exploring the world. You can feed, 

play, and battle with them, and your friendship level will grow. This feature really personalizes a player’s 

 experience, and keeps their Pokémon from just being lifeless portraits on a screen. I still remember how 

excited I was getting to play with my fully evolved starter, Charizard, for the first time. 

There are also frequent events. Of particular note are the monthly Community Days, where a specific 

Pokémon will appear more frequently for a span of three hours with increased odds of finding a rare 

shiny. I’ve participated in many over the years, often accompanied by a friend who also enjoys the game. 

Even before multiplayer features like Party Quests were added, it was always a great bonding experience. 

I think that’s the core of why the game has remained such a regular part of my life, even after so many 

years. It’s about the connection it inspires. Not just between trainer and Pokémon, but to yourself and the 

real world. It remains as a way to explore the world around you, to highlight new places to see. 

Even now, the core of the excitement is the same as it was in 2016. It’s a great excuse to get out of the 

house and meet new people.

Even just five minutes of gameplay squeezed in between the hustle and bustle of normal life makes my 

day a little bit more special. In fact, I have an example. Here are some pictures I took from an afternoon 

doing just that.

 

 

I decided to play a little after classes before the drive home one day. I opened up the game at my 

college’s library– a spot which is in range of a few Pokéstops and a Gym. I got to admire the sun shining 

down on the beloved building. It’s always a pleasant sight. 

Then, I walked down the sidewalk and took in the sights and sounds of students bustling about, going 

through their own day-to-day lives. I passed by the Dining Commons as the conversation flowed around 

me. Chatter in Spanish and English alike filled my ears, warm and familiar.

 

 

 

I made my way to the Visitor and Alumni Center. The campus info map is another Pokémon Gym. 

I fought off rival Pokémon to let my beloved Arcanine defend it for Team Mystic. 

 

 

Finally, I headed towards the dorms, yet another Gym. Trees swayed in the wind, sun shimmering down

through the leaves and casting shadows on the pavement. It just so happened that a Raid was going on, 

giving me a chance to battle and catch an event Pikachu. It was a one-star difficulty, so I was even able to 

solo it. I took my Pokemon to battle and triumphed, satisfied with another victory. 

 

With all of that done, I headed for home, and my day was a bit better for that daily walk. A walk I 

probably wouldn’t have had reason to take, if not for the game. I made one last pit stop before I went 

back home to take a nice nap. 

 

  

 

The shopping center on the way back houses a good few Pokéstops too. I took a spin around to restock 

on supplies one last time, and after a long day of classes, rewarded myself with some authentic Mexican 

cuisine. The sounds of more Spanish conversation and the scent of delectable cooking filled the air. 

I found myself happy to live where I do.The Bay Area truly has a rich culture. I’m always glad to 

support local businesses, and incredibly lucky to be able to afford doing so every once and a while. 

I’m appreciative of being able to be here. It’s an awareness and gratitude inspired by the reflections that 

had crossed my mind whilst taking my walk. It’s easy to take for granted how lucky we are to have 

what we do, but the day had reminded me to take a moment to savor it.

 

So, with all of that being said, is Pokémon GO still a fun game to play in 2026? I’d say that it’s a 

definite yes, at least for me. It encourages you to take a look around your real world, and that never 

 gets boring. There are a lot more ways to spend your time in the game than you could find back in 

2016, and even though it’s far from a perfect experience, I think it’s definitely still worthwhile.