The Washington Post
Have you been eyeing that cute guy checking in regularly to that PokeStop down the street? Been too shy to chat with the girl whom you’ve seen hanging out by the place where Dratini spawn? PokeDates, a new service from the dating firm Project Fixup, is here to help.
Yup. Pokemon Go, the mobile game that’s taken the country by storm, has inspired its own dedicated dating service. While the game is ostensibly aimed at kids, it’s become quickly apparent that adults who remember the franchise from their childhood may be the ones most into the game. Those who want to sign up to find a partner in gaming and in life can navigate their way to gopokedates.com, where the tagline is “Gotta catch ‘em all, together.”
It’s not completely crazy. Amid all the reports of injuries, robberies and people running into police cars, there also have been anecdotes of love found among the pocket monsters. There have been a lot of “Missed Connections” Craigslist posts from players looking for people they liked and lost. And it’s certainly true that many people on social media have said they hooked up due to Pokémon Go.
While that may not scream true love, it’s better than a broken collarbone. Probably.
If you’re already playing Pokémon Go, it’s not a terribly bad date activity for Pokémon players looking to hunt as a duo — as long as you remember to look up every once in a while and talk to each other. Just bring extra battery packs for your phones. You could take a nice walk along the river to find water-types. You could hit up a museum in between catching sessions. (Not at the same time, please.) And you could drop a lure at a bar with a PokéStop and reel in the Pokémon while you have a drink. Honestly, that sounds like it could be super effective.
Those who want to sign up with the service have to create a Project Fixup account and provide some standard dating site information on what you’re looking for in a partner and, of course, some info about yourself. PokéDates users also will have to include extra Pokémon Go-related information, such as when you’ll be available to go searching for monsters and love.
The first date is free with a promo code. After that, you’ll have to pay $20 per match – which is pretty steep for a dating service of any kind.
Still, all of it may be worth that moment when your fellow Pokémon hunter turns to you and says, “I choose you!”
Now that would be a “how we met” worth sharing at the wedding reception.
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