AFP |
Having trouble waking up in the morning? Not getting enough sleep? The company that brought you Pokemon Go may have a solution: a game “played” by sleeping.
Pokemon Company said on Wednesday it would release a new smartphone game called “Pokemon Sleep” in 2020, turning sleep into entertainment.
We’re pleased to announce the development of Pokémon Sleep, a new app from @Pokemon_cojp that tracks a user’s time sleeping and brings a gameplay experience unlike any other!
Several Snorlax were consulted on this, in case you were wondering. #PokemonSleep is coming in 2020. pic.twitter.com/nJ7mJY09Dl
— Pokémon (@Pokemon) May 29, 2019
The firm created the wildly popular Pokemon Go app, a game that let players walking the real world hunt virtual Pokemon, in 2016.
“Now we set our sights on sleeping,” president Tsunekazu Ishihara told reporters. “It’s a game with which you look forward to waking up,” he said. “Turning sleeping into entertainment is our next goal.”
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Ishihara offered little detail on the game, but Nintendo – which helped develop Pokemon Go – said during the press conference in Tokyo that they are rolling out a new device that can track players’ sleep and send data to their smartphone.
We’re excited to team up with @NintendoAmerica and @NianticLabs again on this new addition.
While you wait for more info, try to catch one of the special sleeping Snorlax appearing in #PokemonGO to celebrate!
Don’t wait too long, or they might wake up…
— Pokémon (@Pokemon) May 29, 2019
The announcement sparked a social media frenzy and plenty of quips.
“No one will make fun of me for going to bed early and getting 8 hours of sleep a night once Pokemon Sleep is out,” wrote one Twitter user.
No one will make fun of me for going to bed early and getting 8 hours of sleep a night once Pokemon Sleep is out pic.twitter.com/vgbiSReIlq
— Ryan Letourneau (@Northernlion) May 29, 2019
“When the squad gets together to play Pokemon Sleep,” wrote another.
https://twitter.com/Wow_no_inv/status/1133552079153324032
At the very least, the game seems unlikely to spark the sort of trouble caused by previous game, which saw players blamed for traffic accidents and other violations as they roamed the streets — buried in their phones – hunting “monsters”.
Pokémon GO has caused more than 100,000 car accidents, according to a new study pic.twitter.com/q1ydORAe6Q
— NowThis Impact (@nowthisimpact) November 28, 2017
The free game uses satellite locations, graphics and camera capabilities to overlay cartoon characters in real-world settings, challenging players to capture and train the creatures.
バリヤードと一緒に壁をつける時代に生まれてよかった。 pic.twitter.com/H0YoJkHEtQ
— クラウンマイン (@mine_clown) March 10, 2019
Pokemon, short for “pocket monsters”, has been a constant in Japan since it was launched as software in 1996 for Nintendo’s iconic Game Boy console.
Its “Gotta Catch ‘Em All” slogan has been turned into a song.
The game has expanded into other media, most notably a hugely popular TV animation show and a recent film.
🎉🎉🎉#DetectivePikachu is NOW in theaters! Get your tickets: https://t.co/LlYjsIYPoi pic.twitter.com/AxBujZGo9Q
— POKÉMON Detective Pikachu (@DetPikachuMovie) May 10, 2019
AFP with additional input by GVS news desk