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Pokémon Go on campus.

Welcome Pokémon Go Trainers

Play smart. Play safe. Don't be a Team Rocket and ruin this for everyone

July 18, 2016 — 

Hello and welcome Pokémon Go Trainers.

As you begin to hunt for Pokémon on the beautiful University of Manitoba campus, we’d like to ask for your cooperation with a few things.

We ask that you:

  • Remember that some deeply serious scholarly and scientific stuff is happening at the university, so please don’t disturb our faculty, staff and students.
  • Do not enter laboratories or offices without permission.
  • Be quiet in libraries and hallways.
  • Be mindful of your surroundings, especially around roads and equipment.
  • Let us know when you find something great! (#umanitoba)

If you have questions about our rules or are concerned for either your or someone else’s safety, please call Campus Security at 204-474-9312.

Enjoy exploring our great campus spaces. Good luck and happy hunting!

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4 comments on “Welcome Pokémon Go Trainers

  1. Mike

    Since the game requires a persistent view of the sky for the GPS to work, and the GPS must be active for the game to function at all, this ask for cooperation is not only unnecessary but shows a lack of understanding for how the game operates and comes across as top-heavy nonsense. Fears that people will be/are entering labs and offices are completely fabricated since the game stops functioning indoors.

    Additionally, the people playing this are usually hunched over their phone on a bench, outdoors, quiet but for the shame of being a 30 something playing a fantasy game. I literally cannot fathom an opportunity to disturb the “deeply serious scholarly and scientific stuff” happening on campus while playing the game.

    Come on U of M, you can do better than a maternalistic nag about the hottest trend of the summer.

    1. UM Today staff

      Hi Mike, thanks for taking the time to share your passionate response. Although Pokémon Go is best enjoyed outdoors with a strong GPS signal, there have been sightings (and captures!) indoors. So there is definitely the possibility of people accidentally disturbing others in hallways and labs.
      This is simply a friendly reminder. We’re big fans of the game and we encourage people to explore campus while they play.

  2. Karen

    I concur with UM Today Staff. A retired co-worker showed me how the game works as she captured 2 Pokémon characters in my office this morning. I found it quite humorous but I would not find it so if strangers started showing up in my office or in the hallway outside the offices. One can most certainly view and obtain characters indoors. The UM Today Staff are certainly correct in sending out this information.

  3. Lisa

    It probably depends on the building, but a friend who teaches at one of the postsecondary institutions on Vancouver Island told me that there was a Pokémon next to her while she was teaching class today. Her students were too shy to come up to the front of the room to nab it, though. I suppose it might be possible to put out a lure and encourage attendance that way?

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