The Gig Economy Is All Over Pokémon Go

Need to get to a Pokéstop? Want a drawing of yourself as a Pokémon trainer?

Instead of actually playing Pokémon Go, I’ve spent the past week hunting for the best articles about Pokémon Go. (It’s kind of the same game. Both of them involve a smartphone.)

I have read about men positioning their cameras so it looks like Diglett is bursting out of their crotch, and Marine Corps veterans catching both Pokémon and a man wanted for attempted murder.

I have read all about what happened when the Westboro Baptist Church became a Pokéstop.

But here’s the article that I want to share with you today:

The People Making Money off Your ‘Pokémon Go’ Addiction

Molly McHugh reports that rideshare drivers are offering Pokémon-friendly routes, shuttling passengers from Pokéstop to Pokéstop. Some drivers will even drive slowly enough that the game thinks you’re walking—which is a feature that could be especially beneficial to people with mobility issues or people who might not feel safe walking alone. (Walking, or moving at a walking pace, is a core component of the game.)

McHugh also details some of the other ways people are using Pokémon Go to make money:

The Pokémon-spurred side hustle is hardly limited to driving. There are Pokémon Go security details, Pokémon Go egg hunters, and Pokémon Go hackers. Nick Shields, a freelancer who uses Fiverr to get gigs, placed an offer on the site, saying he could provide access for international users unable to play the game, which is currently only available in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand. For a mere $5, Shields lends out his account to allow people to download the game, so they can create their own accounts to start hunting. Shields says he’s had five inquiries so far.

It looks like this particular Fiverr offer is no longer on the site, but there are people offering to draw you as a Pokémon trainer, sell you a PDF guide to the game, and photoshop a Pokémon into one of your photos so it looks like you caught it. (Assumedly you’d share that photo on social media… or, if it’s a Diglett, send it unsolicited to that special someone on Tinder.)

Are any Billfolders Pokémon Go fans? Have you seen other people offering gig economy services to help you play the game?

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