A little bitter...

[darksylveon]

So-- this may be the lowest point I've stooped to, but I'm feeling a little bit bitter.

I honestly did not expect Pokemon GO to be as popular as it is. I thought it was just going to be this cool thing in our nice little community and we would all have fun with it but no one would care. Boy was I wrong.

People that used to make fun of me for enjoying Pokemon as much as I do are now raving about how much they love the games. I don't like that people who would never dream of playing the games can suddenly say that they're super into it. The Pokemon community used to be a group of people that I could lovingly refer to as 'nerds' and could always turn to due to the kind of personality that we all shared. Now people who I would never dream of speaking to, like overly preppy sorority girls, are claiming that they're huge fans. It feels a little invasive I guess.

Yes, this does sound like some pretentious hipster saying that they found a band first. It just makes me a bit angry that so many people are hopping on the bandwagon now when I really had hoped that we would stay a warm little community when Pokemon GO came out. Does anyone feel the same way?

 

[Benermerut]

Give it time. Right now, GO is the hot new app and it's getting a ton of media attention. Once the initial hype dies down a little, people will start dropping out I'm sure.

But, on the other side of the coin, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna drop GO at least partially when Sun and Moon come out. I mean, Go is cool and all, but it'll never stand a chance against a real Pokémon game to me.

 

[Hiidoran]

I kind of get what you're saying, honestly.

On one hand, I think it's really fun to have all these other players, but on the other, I almost feel this sense of entitlement because I've been with the fandom since its inception. It gets me kind of angry to see everyone fan-girling about something they don't even really know anything about. I try to just chill and understand that everyone is just having fun. The hype is gonna quickly fall and all I can hope for is a tad more respect from my peers when I continue to enjoy Pokémon after.

Also. I'm getting pretty upset over all the people who are camping out at all the local gyms. :| People are becoming obsessed with that and I feel like it's ruining the game for those of us who can't just sit there all day and guard a gym.

 

[VisualJae]

I never could relate to the whole thing about being a closet Pokémon fan or having trouble getting people to relate to your interests.

This is a different matter, but honestly it depends on the type of person you are and the types of people you engage with on a daily basis.

The people I've known as friends all my life are all open-minded people. Only a tiny handful of them play or have played Pokémon in the past. Those who haven't or have grown past it don't mind the people who are still interested. These are mature people to keep by your side and help push each other on the right path.

That's one side. The other side is you (not saying OP "you," more like a PSA you). I've seen so many people who are embarrassed/ashamed of their interests. Like what for? When I talk to people, acquaintances or total strangers, if the opportunity comes up for me to express my interests, I declare them boldly. You want to make fun of my interests? I can do the same for yours and rain insults on your priorities in life—but if you're making fun of someone's interests in the first place, you're the one that needs to grow up. Better to laugh it off and meet new people who are more receptive. No need to stress out.

And no, I'm not bitter at all. Many people who know me in person know how knowledgeable I am about the Pokémon franchise. So for those who are experiencing the phenomenon for the first time, I'm more than happy to provide resources for them. Who knows? They could become long-term fans. Whether it's with old friends, co-workers, family, or total strangers, the more the merrier.

It's all about being open-minded and receptive.

 

[curiousnathan]

I agree.

Although I didn't really get bullied about liking Pokemon because I simply didn't care about what people thought. They like FIFA? Cool. I like Pokemon? Sweet.

 

[darksylveon]

Thank you all for your kind and understanding responses! I'm really glad that you guys took the time to speak with me.

I think what was most bothersome was that there were friends of mine who made fun of me when I would get excited about something Pokemon related and refused to give it a chance, but when it becomes trendy they automatically hop on board. I know I shouldn't take it personally, but it sort of feels like my interests didn't matter to them.

Nevertheless, the open minds that you all have made me a lot more understanding. I really appreciate what you all had to say! I'm going to play with a much different mindset now I think. Again, thank you so much for everything. Have a wonderful day!

 

[Illusionss]

Bitter because a lot of people are playing the same game you are? Seems quite petty, if anything it should be a good thing that it's more popular. You can't expect people you know who haven't played pokemon before not to play it just because you found it before them...

 

[Jiggling Jigglypuff]

I am too young to be a fan of Pokemon from the onset of it, but I became a fan before the explosion of popularity from Pokemon Go. Sure I am happy that this game brought Pokemon back to the limelight, but I know like everything else it will all calm down soon. Once it calms down the real fans will remain and maybe a handful of new fans from this game will come along for the ride which is cool. I am just going with the flow with all of this.

 

[Captain Fabio]

It's just a fad. Give it a few weeks and people will fall out of favour with it, due to falling off the bandwagon. It was bound to happen with such a great game. I honestly wouldn't get that down about it.​

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[Jessie]

I definitely see where you are coming from, and kind of felt the same way about it at first. Especially since Pokemon has always been a "safe place" for me. But then, really, I want the franchise to do as well as it possibly can so it will continue for as long as it can! Pokemon Go has given me so much hope that we will have another 20 years of Pokemon!

I do live in a college town, so EVERYONE is playing. Lots of people I wouldn't usually speak with either. However, I have spoken to them, and most of them are actually really nice! It's quite fun.

 

[Hikamaru]

I can feel what the OP means because I wasn't expecting the popularity of GO to be so much that it found itself constantly in news headlines. In fact, GO has seen the Pokemon franchise return to popularity levels that I claim haven't been seen since the PokeMania era.