Pokémon Go helped Afghanistan troops bond and pass the time, according to U.S. soldiers once stationed at the Bagram Airfield.
According to the publication Stars and Stripes, the game created a thriving Pokémon Go community at Afghanistan's largest airbase as troops, contractors and civilians played the game during exercise and after work. The worldwide game allowed people the opportunity to catch Pokémon in a country that could normally not be caught in the United States. Troops were surprised about the game's presence in Afghanistan, not expecting it to have such a prominent following in the region, according to U.S. Army Spc. Corey Olsen, who played the game with others from his helicopter technician shop.
The game offered an opportunity to socialize, as troops and civilians would drive around the base visiting gyms and catching Pokémon. "Being able to start a conversation with a complete stranger in the middle of a war zone about something like Pokémon was a great way to stay social," said Wilbur Landaverde, a contractor who worked at the base in 2020. Others suggested that the game offered a reprieve from the hardships of war. "School and video games got me through my deployment," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Naomi Sosa, who played the game at the base between 2019 and 2020.
As withdrawal from the Bagram base moved forward, troops left behind their claimed gyms, generally with low-leveled Pokémon guarding them. Due to Pokémon Go's restriction of gyms only being able to be claimed by defeating the former trainer, the Pokémon left by those stationed at the Bagram Airfield are expected to remain there until the local population reclaims the unguarded gyms. "I'm sure somewhere in Afghanistan, some kid is bragging about how he took control of an American Pokémon gym," stated Alaska National Guard Captain John Sutter.
Pokémon Go, which launched in 2016, has had a tendency to create social interactions between players. Following the game's release, it became the most active mobile game in the United States ever with over 21 million active users in the middle of July, and by August the game exceeded 100 million downloads worldwide. While popularity fell off over time, the game maintained a stable, active userbase and during the COVID-19 pandemic, updated its policies and settings in order to allow players to play from the comfort of their homes, continuing to promote social activity while prioritizing safety.
Developed and published by Niantic in collaboration with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, Pokémon Go is available for free on iOS and Android devices.
Source: Stars and Stripes via GameRant