Spurred by a successful debut meet-up of Pokemon Go in Doha, another meet-up but on a much bigger scale that rolls out the red carpet for even families and large groups of friends is all set to take the city by ‘Pokemania’ storm early next month.
Unless you have been living under a rock, you would have heard about or even more likely been part of the frenzy that the location-based augmented reality mobile game Pokemon Go has stirred up across the globe. Like elsewhere, the social media in Qatar, too, is bursting with Pokemon fans filling each other in on the latest achievements made in their games.
Carlo Yan, founder of Snap TV and the popular Filipino community news mediahouse FilipiKnows, had organised the first meet-up at the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Park last month, and is now organising a mega meet-up at Katara Beach Number 4 on September 2. Yan told Community, “The great success of the first meet-up has driven us into holding this full-scale event with more activities and games, not only for individuals but for groups of friends and families. The outcome of our debut meet-up surprised us because we had expected only 200 to 300 people but eventually around 600 turned up.”
Making use of GPS and the camera of the user’s smartphone, Pokemon Go allows players to capture, battle, and train virtual creatures, called Pokemon, who appear on device screens as though in the real world. Released last month for iOS and Android devices, the free-to-play game pulls the mobile gamer out into the real world, where Pokemon are up for grabs – or not really.
Developed by Niantic and published by The Pokémon Company, the game makes clever use of augmented reality. The premise of the game is that more than hundred species of Pokemon – from Venusaur and Charizard to Blastoise and Pikachu – have been discovered on Earth. The game compels you to step outside and capture the Pokemon on the loose by taking aim at it on your screen and throwing a Poke Ball – if you aren’t alert, it might even get away.
The upcoming event on September 2 will be held at the new Splash Water Park at the Katara Beach, which boasts of several water park attractions and games that will only enhance the whole Pokemon Go meet-up experience, feels Yan.
“Since the meet-up will be on the beachside, Pokemon Go players can catch Pokemons on the water from the boats and slides,” said Yan, pointing out that the event has managed to get a discounted entry price of QR60 instead of the water park’s regular ticket price of QR100.
Children aged seven and below will get free entry. The entrance fee of QR60 is inclusive of all games and unlimited rides.
The list of attractions at “the biggest Pokemon Go Qatar meet-up” features Pokemon anthem-singing, water Pokemon Go hunting, water slides, boat rides, Pokemon Go Nintendo 3DS area, Cosplay competition, Pokemon trivia game, boardgames courtesy of Cheeky Camel, team ranking and best team contests, top five best players and best Pokemon Go player contest, and of course, snacks and merchandise.
“Moreover, with the help of some friends in the community like Khalifa Saleh al-Haroon aka Mr Q, we will be giving away limited edition Pokemon Gold Card to the best player of the meet-up,” Yan said. The event will also see the launch of a new platform for gamers in Qatar called as the Qatar Gamers Club. This club will take gaming to another level by having meet-ups, competitions, and opportunities to make new friends, among other things, said Yan.
“The first meet-up was quite a crazy night because some families had come along with their toddlers and even their infants to the MIA Park,” Yan said.
“Seeing this prompted us into organising a much bigger and a well-prepared meet-up. We are expecting to double our Pokemon Go players attendance at this event since we have been posting this on social media for almost three weeks now and we have received tremendous feedback from the people of Qatar. I’m sure it will be great fun!”