It’s an app that is taking the world by storm. Pokemon GO was released in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand late last week. While it hasn’t been officially launched in Canada yet, dozens in Weyburn are downloading the game onto their smartphones, and embarking on their quest to "catch them all".

Pokemon GO is an augmented reality app, that utilizes the popular Pokemon franchise. Players have to go out and about in an effort to collect pocket monsters (or Pokemon, for short). The reality app utilizes a number of real-world landmarks in Weyburn as places where players can gather, or pick-up rewards.

Nancy Styles is a Weyburn city councillor. She is also chair of Weyburn’s Parks Committee. She feels that the fact the game is motivating a demographic that would normally be inside playing video games to get out and explore is a good thing.

“Whoever made the app did a wonderful job, because you are targeting those people who are on their computers, and encouraging them to get up and get into the fresh air,” Styles said. She added that it is also prompting people to see the city in a different light.

“There’s many people who have gotten out on Tatagwa trails, and said ‘I didn’t know this was here’," Styles explained. She listed off other landmarks that are featured in the game, such as the Redcoat Trail, and the Tommy Douglas Performing Arts Centre.

Those who play the game echo the sentiments of Styles. Discover Weyburn caught up with Shayla Dykstra, Drake Hardy and Michael Lansall while they were exploring downtown Weyburn, looking to catch Pokemon.

“I am a hardcore introvert. I hardly leave the apartment, and it’s got me out of the house,” joked Lansall. He explained that the game is also letting him meet people he would normally never meet in Weyburn, such as Dykstra and Hardy.

The game is forming it’s own community, complete with a Facebook group, started by Dykstra. She explained that there are those who are just picking up  the game, and for something that is competitive, people are still friendly.

“Everyone in the Pokemon Go community is so supportive of each other,” Dykstra said. It was quickly demonstrated, when she pointed out a few tips for the others who were with the group. The atmosphere was demonstrated Sunday night, in the parking lot of McKenna Hall, when a number of Pokemon players got together and visited with each other, making new friends and reacquainting with old ones, while playing the game for a few hours.

With the game comes a caution from the developers themselves, as well as local police. They recommend that those playing the game remain aware of their surroundings at all times. Additionally, since the game isn’t technically available through various app stores in Canada, the alternative methods of acquiring the game at this point can result in potentially downloading malware onto a smartphone.

The one thing that everyone can agree on when it comes to the Pokemon Go game is that an entire demographic is now turning to the outdoors to engage in video games and that, in the long run, is a good thing.