There is something phenomenal in Pokémon Go and it is the vast popularity it gained just days after the application emerged. Despite the vast selection of computer games on the net, the creators of the new game reported that just 3 days after Pokémon Go was launched, some 21 million people were playing it daily. Pokémon Go has achieved faster success even than Facebook when number of users and their interest is considered. The success of the game largely lies in nostalgia of grown children for cartoon characters from childhood.

The game is based on the Pokémon animated series that originally started as a video game. After the release of the animated movie about the little creatures, Pokémon became a craze all over the world. In Bulgaria Pokémon became popular in 2001 when the first shows of the series were broadcast. A generation grew with the characters and now it feels the pleasure of chasing Pokémon in the street.

"The best thing about the game is that it is close to reality", says 25-year-old Andrey from Sofia. "Everyone talks about Pokémon Go and this makes you curious to try. Many people play because of nostalgia, because we used to spend hours watching the Pokémon series on TV,” the young man says.

Philip, another hunter of cartoon characters in the city, says he feels the challenge of going out of home and catching all the Pokémon. "That game is tailored to the place I live and it makes me go outside and walk or even run to the points where the Pokémon are. Thanks to the game I visited places that had never been to before. Furthermore, over the past two days since I started the game, I've done more physical activity than during the past three months.” Philip also mentions the social aspect of Pokémon Go. He says that the game helps him connect with people like him who also went out to play and whom he would have never met if it wasn’t for the game.

A mass gathering of people playing the game has recently taken place in front of the National Palace of Culture. Anyone with a phone in hand had a chance to improve their level in competition with other gamers. Among the organizers of this meeting was Radoslav Kavaldzhiev - Roro. He is a producer and a host in an Internet-based TV channel and has the passion for electronic adventures.

"This is one of the events that occur naturally, it was created by the very fans of the game. They had already gathered near the National Palace of Culture brought by "Pokémon Go". The game itself incorporates bases around which people gather to have fun and play. We went into the role of organizers; we brought good music, good mood and held competitions and tournaments for those who already know the game. The surprise is that "Pokémon Go" uses a platform that is not new. The game is the successor of another cult title - "Ingress", which used to bring groups of people out on the streets a year ago or two. But because of marketing shortcomings this game did not gain such popularity and was not successful. Now the same platform was used to introduce us to the world of Pokémon. It is this mix of reality in which we live and we see through our mobile phones and the virtual images that makes the game so interesting. Imagine standing in a street where nothing happens. But you turn the phone and the camera on and suddenly the streets are full of colourful creatures one could follow. The game is a real phenomenon because it contains in itself a pinch of new technologies and provides a glimpse to the innovations of the future. Virtual reality has been playing an important role in games, entertainment, and even education."

According to Radoslav Kavaldzhiev, Bulgaria is lagging behind the global trend of playing electronic games en masse. While in the US and many European countries, thousands of fans fill the stadiums and play together, in Bulgaria fans of gaming culture are often regarded as "zombie people," imprisoned in themselves and different from the rest.

English: Alexander Markov