Pokémon Go and Urban Accessibility

This chapter examines the relationship between disability, mobile technology and gaming, with a specific focus on the augmented reality mobile game Pokémon Go. Current research and commentary on the experience people with disabilities have of Pokémon Go and other augmented reality mobile games has f...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Locke, Kathryn, Leaver, Tama
Other Authors: Ellis, Katie
Format: Book Chapter
Published: Routledge 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367357153-20
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/90174
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author Locke, Kathryn
Leaver, Tama
author2 Ellis, Katie
author_facet Ellis, Katie
Locke, Kathryn
Leaver, Tama
author_sort Locke, Kathryn
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This chapter examines the relationship between disability, mobile technology and gaming, with a specific focus on the augmented reality mobile game Pokémon Go. Current research and commentary on the experience people with disabilities have of Pokémon Go and other augmented reality mobile games has focused on either inaccessibility (specific for people with mobility impairments) or the opportunity these games provide as a learning tool, specifically for people with intellectual disabilities and autism. This chapter reviews this commentary, arguing the nature of this game – located both within and outside of the mediated format of gaming – allows for an extended understanding of access. In particular, utilising the social model of disability (Finklesteinm, 1980), we consider how mobile augmented reality games such as Pokémon Go can reveal exclusions in ‘real’ urban space. Connecting with research being undertaken at the University of Bologna by Catia Prandi et. al. (2015), we also consider how future mobile games which similarly utilise mapping could be harnessed to facilitate both more accessible gaming opportunities and understandings of accessible urban space.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-901742024-08-02T03:25:53Z Pokémon Go and Urban Accessibility Locke, Kathryn Leaver, Tama Ellis, Katie Leaver, Tama Kent, Mike 2001 - Communication and Media Studies 4701 - Communication and media studies This chapter examines the relationship between disability, mobile technology and gaming, with a specific focus on the augmented reality mobile game Pokémon Go. Current research and commentary on the experience people with disabilities have of Pokémon Go and other augmented reality mobile games has focused on either inaccessibility (specific for people with mobility impairments) or the opportunity these games provide as a learning tool, specifically for people with intellectual disabilities and autism. This chapter reviews this commentary, arguing the nature of this game – located both within and outside of the mediated format of gaming – allows for an extended understanding of access. In particular, utilising the social model of disability (Finklesteinm, 1980), we consider how mobile augmented reality games such as Pokémon Go can reveal exclusions in ‘real’ urban space. Connecting with research being undertaken at the University of Bologna by Catia Prandi et. al. (2015), we also consider how future mobile games which similarly utilise mapping could be harnessed to facilitate both more accessible gaming opportunities and understandings of accessible urban space. 2023 Book Chapter http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/90174 10.4324/9780367357153-20 https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367357153-20 Routledge fulltext
spellingShingle 2001 - Communication and Media Studies
4701 - Communication and media studies
Locke, Kathryn
Leaver, Tama
Pokémon Go and Urban Accessibility
title Pokémon Go and Urban Accessibility
title_full Pokémon Go and Urban Accessibility
title_fullStr Pokémon Go and Urban Accessibility
title_full_unstemmed Pokémon Go and Urban Accessibility
title_short Pokémon Go and Urban Accessibility
title_sort pokémon go and urban accessibility
topic 2001 - Communication and Media Studies
4701 - Communication and media studies
url https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367357153-20
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/90174