Initially created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1995, Pokemon has went on to become more than just

a success - its widespread popularity has cemented its place as both an entertainment

and cultural phenomenon. With numbers steadily increasing since the release of the new augmented

reality app, Pokemon Go, in July 2016. Just like with anything - where there's people,

there's craziness to be had - so today, let's look at seven strange facts about this massively

popular addition to Pokemon's extensive list of games and entertainment titles.

Number seven - the game is HUGE.

In only a matter of a few days after its release - Pokemon Go was downloaded more times than

the popular dating and hookup app, Tinder - with the staggering numbers predicted to

surpass even the daily users of the social media juggernaut Twitter. Not only that - according

to statistics, users spent almost double the time playing the game than they did using

Snapchat, WhatsApp, Instagram and even Facebook in the first week of release alone. The kicker?

At the time of this being written, this unexpected runaway hit hasn't even been released to every

region of the world yet - with numbers expected to rise astronomically after the remaining

European and Asian markets get a hold of the app.

Number six - people were fooled by hackers.

Speaking of the countries and regions that haven't gotten this yet - early excited fans

in the UK downloaded the game - not realizing that what they really just installed was a

malicious version of the program designed to allow hackers in. Cybersecurity researchers

discovered the app (which comes infected with a remote access tool called "Droidjack") three

days after the official release in New Zealand and Australia - pointing out that the security

vulnerability could allow ne'er-do-wells full control of the victim's phone - including

opening backdoors on compromised devices as a way to steal and send private and sensitive

information. Although iOS users aren't affected, fans are recommended to be safe and smart.

Number five - there's fine print.

Although the app is a free download (with occasional in-game purchases) and is totally

free to play - it doesn't come without the fine print. It's no secret that the game's

developer Niantic has been receiving a tremendous amount of personal information. However, after

RedOwl data architect Adam Reeve made a startling discovery - it was shared to Reddit (where

it quickly made the rounds). He noticed that when a user logs in using their Google account,

it gives the app absolute full permission to access it - meaning you're potentially

allowing them to read and send out emails from your account, access your documents,

view your search and maps history and even access your private photos. Yikes. We recommend

to tread carefully.

Number four - the app is full of strange things.

Users from around the world have been commenting on the strange places the app is sending them

- since players are sent to physical locations to pick up items, upgrades or play certain

aspects of the game, people have found themselves taken to some rather odd places. An Australian

police department had to issue a statement asking players not to enter their facilities

to play the game - while other odd places include graveyards (and we mean actual graveyards

- users have had to physically go inside), strip clubs, toilets, churches, synagogues

and even London's MI5 security agency headquarters. The developers claim to have recycled map

locations from a previously designed game, but still - weird.

Number three - it's causing robberies.

Okay, maybe the game ITSELF isn't causing robberies - but enterprising criminals in

Missouri have taken it upon themselves to exploit the gameplay to setup some real-world

stickups. Four men aged 16-18 were arrested by the O'Fallon Police Department in July

for armed robbery. Although the plan was heinous, it certainly was creative - as the men used

in-game features to attract and lure people nearby to their location, robbing eight or

nine individuals over the course of a few days as they approached. Because the users

were distracted with the game, they rarely saw it coming - however after multiple police

reports, authorities got wind and quickly apprehended this gang of Poke-robbers.

Number two - it's causing some serious distractions.

21 year old Michael Baker was playing the game in Forest Grove, Oregon when he noticed

another passerby approaching. After asking the incoming man if he was also playing the

game, Baker found himself with a knife in his stomach - according to the witness, "I

saw him go by and asked if he was playing Pokémon Go. He was like ‘what?’ I guess

he wanted to battle because he came up at me with a knife. I didn’t expect it to

happen…it was pretty brief and fast, just slice and ran.” However, instead of seeking

treatment, he continued playing the game for quite some time before receiving eight stitches

at the hospital. When asked why he didn't stop he said: "...it’s very important to

me, I gotta pretty much catch ‘em all.”

Number one - it's led to at least one horrifying discovery.

Just two days after the game's release, 19 year old Riverton, Wyoming resident Shayla

Wiggins was playing the game when she hopped over a fence near a river in search of a "water

Pokémon". As she approached a bridge, she spotted something floating in the Wind River

- except it wasn't a game character. After authorities arrived, it was confirmed she

had found the deceased body of 28 year old Arapahoe resident Jeffrey Day, said to have

been there for probably less than 24 hours due to an accidental drowning. After the incident,

Wiggins was quoted saying she never DID find the Pokemon she climbed the fence for, but

since her startling discovery - she hasn't gotten the chance to play much more anyhow.

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