How To Ask Someone Out On Pokémon GO

Pokémon GO was not created as a dating app (though it has already surpassed Tinder on Android), but there are so many things that make Pokemon Go the perfect tool to meet new people. If you are among the millions of users across the US who have downloaded Nintendo's crazy popular app, you may think of it as a mere augmented reality game; but by tweaking how you use it, you can easily unlock the potential to not only catch some rare Pokémon, but your next date as well. It's actually surprisingly easy to figure out how to ask someone out on Pokemon GO.

See, the game requires users to leave the comfort of their house and use their actual two feet to walk around in order to find new Pokémon and log enough steps to hatch eggs. And surprisingly, people are doing this willingly. (You are definitely not alone if playing this game has made you measure your morning jogs in two and five kilometer distances). There is something about that '90s nostalgia which has drawn Millennials to Pokémon Go faster than you can say "Crystal Pepsi." "Pokémon Go & Chill" is even a thing now... yikes, I know.

So, just how can you use this app to cash-in on these cuties and hatch some freakin' romance?

One Redditor detailed his experience of Pokémon GO-as-matchmaker in a post titled "Pokemon Go Got Me A Date." He writes that he was walking around his town one evening after dinner, attempting to log enough steps to hatch some Poké-eggs, when a woman stopped him and asked if he was playing Pokémon GO. After a brief conversation (mostly about Pokémon), he asked her out on a date, and she said yes — talk about evolving your relationship from an Evee into a flaming hot Flareon! It's incredibly helpful to have something in common when attempting to make a connection — and Pokémon Go is the perfect thing. Not only can you bond about something fun from your childhood, but the game is even more enjoyable when played together. However, it will take a little courage to make the first move and strike up a chat with a fellow Poké-head.

Recognizing fellow players in the wild is super easy. Simply watch for the people in their teens, 20s, or early 30s, distractedly walking and holding their phone in front of them. If the screen is lit up and they are flicking with their thumb or index finger — you got yourself a winner. If they run into something stationary (fire hydrant, street sign, wall of a building) you can be doubly sure that they are playing the game (and I'll give you 50+ extra points for sheer hilarity).

While we cannot see exactly who is playing near us in the A.R. (which is good, cause that would be hella creepy), there are ways to find places with high concentrations of players and better your odds. Once you log on to Pokémon GO, hit up the nearest gyms and see if there is any action going on. If you see a couple people standing close to the arena (you have to be within 100 feet to battle), tapping furiously on their phone screens, and thunder and lightning is registering over the gym on your phone, this is your big chance. I recommend approaching and opening with an innocent question such as: "What team are you on?" "Are you fighting this gym? I just took it for Yellow" or "I just caught a high level Golduck on the corner, did you guys see it?" How can classic Old Hollywood-style romance not happen with opening lines such as these?

If you wish to draw Pokémon GO players to you, simply set up a hotspot and watch the hotties roll in — hopefully they will not all be nine years old. To do so, select a Lure Module from your items, and attach it to a convenient Pokéstop. It will attract some cool Pokémon (and nearby players) for a span of thirty minutes, and remember, it only takes thirty minutes to meet the Pokéman or Pokéwoman of your dreams.

Images: Screenshots/Pokémon GO, giphy