Short answer: Yes, absolutely.

I’m sure many would be surprised to hear that since its crazy boom of virality in 2016, Pokemon GO has maintained a healthy, vibrant community of active players to this very day.

For some context, I have grown up with Pokemon being one of my favorite franchises (both as video games and in general), although the series and I have had our periods of separation in the past. And I experienced one of these with Pokemon GO, starting a few months after its initial release, lasting all the way until very recently this year, (granted that I still played the main-series titles e.g. “Pokemon Sun and Moon”).

This is important because I want you to understand that although I do consider myself an avid fan of all things Pokemon, my interest did very much sail on the coat-tails of the game’s mainstream virality — so as the mainstream began to forget about the game, as did I.

So why am I talking about this game two years after its launch? Why did I start expressing interest back into a game I barely indulged to begin with? Why should you, the reader, even care?

It’s simple: The game’s community… it’s something else.

Never before have I seen a game with such a diverse yet friendly community. Never have I seen a game with such an age gap between players, yet so much cooperation and friendship between players. Whether it be children, teenagers, businessmen, retired people, even parents playing with the game with their kids, Pokemon GO has this aura to it, that seemingly draws out the best in people. I, myself, have seen, met, played and/or interacted with all of these types of people at some stage playing the game recently.

Seriously, name any other game community and I bet there have been at least a few noticeable controversies or dramas at some point in its lifespan. I may be wrong, but from what I’ve experienced, I couldn’t name one from Pokemon GO.

Now, having expressed how inclusive this game is, do I think “hardcore players” would find this game inviting? No, probably not. And this leads me into my next point…

It seems to me that Pokemon GO may be the first game ever made, not for “gamers”, but for “ordinary people”.

Now that’s not to say that the ordinary demographic of video game consumers would not take to this game, take me for example. What I’m saying is that this may be the first game ever to be equally enticing to both “gamers” and “ordinary people” equally.

I know I said that the game was made for “ordinary people” rather than “gamers”, but here’s the thing: “gamers” fall under “ordinary people” (for the most part) also. So rather than targeting a small portion of “ordinary people” who are avid game consumers, Niantic have targeted the whole pool of “ordinary people” instead.

This is why, I believe, the game found so much mainstream exposure upon its initial release. It targeted everyone.