In an attempt to attract people, the Church of England is making some of its churches Pokestops.
The Pokemon Go game has already proven popular with people around the world. In the UK, the game has been launched on Thursday, July 15. According to the BBC News, the churches in the United Kingdom are opening their doors to players of the augmented reality game Pokemon Go. The game is becoming very popular and is already attracting millions of players.
Pokemon Go augmented reality game involves finding virtual Pokemon characters in various real locations. In the UK, several churches have already signed up to become a Pokestop, hoping to attract more people to visit.
The Church of England has issued guidance to churches around the country ton how to attract players and explained that the Pokemon Go game can be a "good way to start a conversation."
Among the church locations that have been already registered in the game as Pokestops are included Hope Church in Islington, north London, St Stephen's in Rednal, Birmingham and St Mary's Episcopal cathedral in Glasgow. Pokestops are locations where players have to visit to get certain items they need to play the game.
Tallie Proud, the Church of England's digital media officer, issued guidance to churches, explaining that the Pokemon Go game is giving local churches around the UK an opportunity to meet people who usually do not come to church. He encouraged churches to become Pokestops, to hold "Pokeparties" and to place welcome signs outside.
Meanwhile, PCMag reports that businesses are already taking advantage of the popularity of the Pokemon Go game. The game maker, Niantic also plans to invite restaurants and retailers to sponsor locations on the Pokemon Go app's virtual map, according to the Financial Times. For the moment, the game developer earns revenue from in-app purchases of virtual items and power-ups.
