No need to scour Marietta Square searching for that rare Pokemon alone.
There are now not one but two ways for your "Pokemon Go" hunt to evolve from catching them all to catching feelings.
Last week, Project Fixup, a Chicago-based dating service, announced its venture, PokeDates, as a curated dating experience built around playing the game that has become an international craze. Also launched last week, PokeMatch, created by San Francisco-based developers, brings Pokemon Go players a Tinder-like option to swipe their way into fellow Pokemon trainers' (aka players) hearts.
PokeDates' tagline says it all — "Gotta catch 'em all, together."
Through the Pokedate website, users create a PokeProfile, share their "Pokemon Go" battle schedule and then confirm their Pokedate, which is free for the first date. The service costs $20 per date after initial date. The team behind Project Fixup emphasizes that the idea is to get daters out of the sometimes aimless cycle of online dating.
PokeMatch launched on iOS and Android just a few days ago, and has already been downloaded 10,000 times, according to the GooglePlay app store. The Pokemon dating app stemmed from co-creator Rene Roosen searching for a cute, co-conspirator during her "Pokemon Go" gaming, according to a press release.
"The goal is that people create meaningful dates, not just hook-ups. We think that a "Pokemon Go" date is the perfect opportunity for that,” Roosen said in a written statement.
App creators report that Reddit users have pounced on the dating app, which is now available in 15 countries.
Some of the other PokeMatch benefits include being able to match up with players by teams and block unwanted Pokematches.
Since many users had already began searching for Pokemon dates on Craigslist, these two dating services will likely not be the last to capitalize on the Pokemania.
So, here's to reaching the next level — in the game and in love.
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