In a remarkable achievement, two researchers stationed in Antarctica have successfully integrated their remote research site into the popular mobile game Pokémon Go.
The scientists, Raimon Hennessy, 29, and Pete Rizzo, 60, both discovered a shared interest in Pokémon Go during separate pursuits to have the continent’s most remote research facility acknowledged as an in-game PokéStop.
In an interview with The Independent, Hennessy and Rizzo detailed their approach to capturing the attention of Niantic, the creator of Pokémon Go, through posts on Reddit. Their efforts ultimately led to the inclusion of the Davis Research Station in the game.
“There isn’t much downtime here in Antarctica. Although we have weekends off, our schedules remain busy,” Hennessy remarked. “I enjoy exploring the surroundings and photographing the stunning landscapes, but I also find time to play various computer games.”
Initially tasked with sending in-game Pokémon Go postcards to his partner from the research station, Hennessy soon realized that there were no nearby PokéStops.
“My partner had inquired on the official Reddit platform about the possibility of adding the base to the game. It was quite surprising to discover that our colleague, Rizzo, was also advocating for a PokéStop!” he explained.
The duo is part of a small team of 28 scientists working at the Davis Research Station, which has recently focused its research efforts on monitoring atmospheric temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, and ozone levels, in addition to conducting ground-based studies on Antarctic seabirds.
“As the communications technician at the station, my role is to ensure that expedition members can stay in touch with their friends and families back home,” Hennessy said. “We maintain a 20Mb satellite connection to Australia, enabling constant communication.”
This connection also allows Hennessy and Rizzo to enjoy Pokémon Go, albeit only when connected to Wi-Fi inside the station’s buildings.
“The PokéStops and gyms are within the station’s boundaries; however, we only have access to 2G without data. This limits our ability to move around, and we can only connect in certain buildings with Wi-Fi,” Rizzo noted.
“One PokéStop is located right next to our living quarters, which features a spacious living area with dining facilities, along with a small bar, pool table, and ping pong setup. Raimon works in the yellow operations building, allowing him almost daily access to the two PokéStops. The gym, however, presents a greater challenge. It’s situated further away in the ‘Pineapple’ building, an old meteorology structure that has since been converted into a music studio.”
As for players around the world, Pokémon Go is currently gearing up for this year’s summer Go Fest events, which are anticipated to introduce the Pokémon Necrozma and potentially incorporate the concept of Pokémon fusion.