Counting Pikachus: Pokemon sleep app entices fans to go to bed

This article is more than 12 months old

Jul 26, 2023 09:55 am

LOS ANGELES - Fans who play Pokemon Go late into the night have a new incentive to get to bed in the form of a sleep app that rewards them with the franchise’s signature monsters.

Pokemon Co and Niantic, two of the companies behind the wildly popular Pokemon Go augmented reality mobile game, released Pokemon Sleep in July.

Developed by Select Button, the app monitors sleep through the user’s phone placed on the bed. Players receive Pokemon when they wake up, and they receive more the deeper the slumber.

Originating in Japan in the 1990s, Pokemon, or “pocket monsters”, spawned a global multi-billion dollar media franchise spanning trading cards, games, TV shows and movies.

The role-playing game pits colourful anime creatures and their human trainers against each other. The characters including lovable yellow Pikachu have different powers, such as the ability to paralyse attackers.

“Pokemon Sleep provides another opportunity for anyone with a smart device to interact with Pokemon and provides an opportunity to look forward to waking up in the morning and also to get lots of sleep,” said Pokemon Co product marketing manager Yuri Horie. - REUTERS