What Pokémon Go players have been missing out on is finally here! And no, it’s not a reliable server for the app.
It’s PokéDates, a dating service that officially launched on Wednesday in the U.S.
The website was specifically designed to help players find love while catching Pokémon. Talk about hitting two birds with one stone.
It’s aim is to get single players to catch more Pikachus or Snorlaxes together. That is, after they meet up at a designated PokéStop or PokéGym.
For those who are indecisive or lazy, the website has them covered. The service was created by Project Fixup, a U.S. dating company, and matches people based on a questionnaire. It coordinates the whole process from selecting one’s match to the meeting location.
“Browsing, swiping, messaging back-and-forth turns into a huge time-suck,” Daniel Korenevsky, Project Fixup’s Chief Fixup Officer, told FORBES. “PokéDates and Project Fixup turns online dating into offline dating.”
The first step is to get a Project Fixup account. “PokéDates” should be selected for the preferred type of date.
Next, singles need to answer questions about themselves for their “PokeProfile.” It’s useful for the matchmaking team to arrange members who share similar interests together. Users also have to state their preferences for their ideal “PokéMate.”
Then, they need to share their schedules so a date can be chosen.
Afterwards, users will receive an email about their “PokéMatch” with the meeting time and location. All that’s left to do online is to confirm the match.
However, it costs $20 for each PokéDate after the first free one.
Meanwhile, the matchmaking team consists of human specialists and not algorithms.
“What makes us different is that we pair based on personality similarities, instead of people just meeting on the street while playing Pokémon GO,” Korenevsky said to FORBES.
Moreover, PokéMates don’t meet in public locations, such as big parks. Instead, they go to coffee shops.
In addition, according to FORBES, Korenevsky said matches have nothing to do with levels.
“We’re actually hoping that people who’ve never played will have the opportunity to try it,” Korenevsky told the publication. “And it will be a very good icebreaker for the day if one can use their expertise to help the other.”
He also believes there will be a higher overall satisfaction rate than Project Fixup’s 85 percent. By Wednesday afternoon, there were nearly 2,100 new sign-ups. Before PokéDates came along, there would only be a couple of new members daily.
“Pokémon Go has taken the world by storm and it’s more fun to play with a companion,” Project Fixup CEO co-founder Sarah Press said. “We hope PokéDates will bring singles together to experience the joy of the game and explore their city while getting to know one another.”
