10 years of Pokémon Go and the millions still trying to catch 'em all

Image source, AP Images for Scopely Explore By Laura Cress Technology reporter Published 12 minutes ago Pokémon fans have spent the past three decades trying to catch 'em all - and since the beginning this hunt has often taken place outside the home. The popular series started out on Nintendo's portable Game Boy console in 1996, and has found modern success on people's phones. The mobile app Pokémon Go, which is now celebrating its 10th anniversary, uses GPS and augmented reality to let players find and catch virtual monsters in real-world locations. It has been downloaded more than a billion times across iOS and Android devices, with millions still logging on each day. And Michael Steranka, vice president of product at the game's publisher Scopely, says the Pokémon Go experience has always been about bringing people together. "Pokémon Go will always start with community - we think we're only scratching the surface here," he said. "We often receive wedding invites from players who met through Pokémon Go... because it's been such an integral part of their relationship." It may seem a surprising sentiment to have for a game and its studio. But Pokémon Go's connection with its players appears to have prevailed, as hundreds of gamers gathered in New York's Times Square on Thursday to battle a giant Mewtwo - a reference to the game's original trailer published over a decade ago , external . Image source, AP Images for Scopely Image caption, Pokémon Go players celebrated the game's 10th anniversary at the real-world event in Times Square on Thursday When it was released in 2016, Pokémon Go quickly became one of the biggest mobile game launches in history. The technology overlays digital creatures onto a live view of the real world through a smartphone's camera, making it appear as though they're standing in front of the player. It sparked a craze where people flocked to places like parks, waterfronts and shopping malls in the hope of catching Pokémon. "By allowing you to take your mobile phone out into the world to discover virtual creatures, Pokémon Go helped realise the millennial dream of becoming a Pokémon Trainer," said Matthew Reynolds, editor of Pokémon news website One More Catch , external . The game's popularity has endured. It has hosted major live events in more than 60 countries, averaging more than 400,000 attendees a year since the first Go Fest in 2017. Image source, PG/Bauer-Griffin 'Like a music festival' Scopely estimates players have explored over 100 billion kilometres while playing Pokémon Go - roughly 334 round trips between the Earth and the Sun. UK content creator j0beats runs one of Twitch's biggest channels dedicated to the game and regularly travels to events like the one in New York to meet fellow players. "People always think it's crazy that you travel all over just to catch some pixels," she laughs. "But it's not just about that. When you go to these big events, you're there for the people and for the energy