Someone recently painted an apparent reference to Pokemon Go on a sign in Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park.
A vandal spray painted the words “Team Mystic” on an information sign in Meridian Hill Park some time within the past few days. Mystic, also known as the “blue team,” is a faction in Pokemon Go, the popular new smartphone game where of teams of Pokemon trainers battle for control of landmarks and buildings across the U.S.
Redditor “ashplowe” first spotted the graffiti yesterday.
“So this happened in my local park,” ashplowe wrote. “Let’s be better than this.”
Photo by Borderstan reporter Alyse Mier
Local Pokemon trainers are fighting for control of Dupont Circle’s gym.
If you have no idea what any of that means, you’re not alone but you’re part of a rapidly dwindling group of people. Those locals are playing Pokemon Go, a new smartphone game that lets users catch tiny virtual monsters and pit them against one another to take control of meeting spots across the country.
In short, Pokemon Go has become a pop culture phenomenon, nearly surpassing Twitter in daily active users, according to The Washington Post.
Businesses and organizations across the city are already scrambling to integrate Pokemon into their marketing strategies. Duffy’s, the sports bar near the U Street corridor, said in a Facebook post yesterday it was “setting our Lure Module for you to take advantage of.” Likewise, M Street strip club Camelot tweeted yesterday that Pikachu was among this week’s dancers.
The app hasn’t just attracted the attention of businesses, either. D.C. Police, ever the digital natives, warned residents in an email last night that the game could be “an easy way to be robbed of your cell phone.”
Naturally, Dupont Circle — one of the city’s most frequented communal spaces — has a lot of Pokemon Go players. If you see someone in the park with their head down staring at their phone, they’re likely catching virtual monsters or battling to plant their team’s flag.
I'm at Dupont Circle (a #Pokestop) + there are people literally standing around catching #pokemon. This is ridic. pic.twitter.com/4Vy8RJImZn
— Phoebe McPherson (@pnmcpherson) July 11, 2016
