People are using an app to ferret out imaginary creatures via the lens of a phone camera.  Like VR training wheels, this craze is proof people aren’t ready to dive into actual virtual realms yet.  Individuals trying to catch Pokemon while driving are as bad as people divorcing spouses over Everquest.  Games have an addictive hold over the child inside all of us.  The thrill of play can cause an absent mind to do some pretty stupid things.  When it comes to stupid mistakes, modern cell phones are surely the leading cause.  Add a competitive element and well, testing our limits is what humans do – with varying success. 

It’s a genius marketing move.  I’m surprised how little the general population remembers about Pokemon.  Gotta catch ’em all is the original hook.  The consortium figured out a way to let players literally go out and chase imaginary creatures.  This fantastical concept is exactly what made Pokemon popular when it first came out.  At that time the pictures of monsters were kept on cards.   To figuratively catch them you just had to give someone money.  Of course there was also this card game and a cartoon with extensive back-plot.  The whole thing was thought up by a Japanese guy that likes bug collecting apparently.

In my world, the Pokemon are enslaved spirit creatures.  Chasing down their essence is something that requires focus and training.  To truly catch the Pokemon you must first know the Pokemon.  These are capricious, half-sentient manifestations of elemental energy.  With all the new civilians hunting, it’s only a matter of time before reports of Pokemon captures gone wrong.  These creatures will adapt to defend against this new predator.  In time, increasing numbers of would-be Pokemon trainers may meet untimely ends simply by underestimating the cunning nature of their prey.