GameStop invites Pokemon GO gamers to visit in the middle of a pandemic

GameStop just announced a team-up with Niantic's Pokemon GO. In the partnership, approximately 500 GameStop store locations will be activated in Pokemon GO as PokeStops OR Pokemon Gym locations. They'll be "becoming part of the real world game board" in November and December of 2020, January and February of 2021.

GameStop released information about the Pokemon Gym and Pokestop update to Pokemon GO with a big bold warning. The warning pointed to their COVID-19 safety page. The warning with the link read as follows: "Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, please be sure to check GameStop's safety protocols here or reach out to your local store associate to learn more."

GameStop doesn't just intend Pokemon GO users to get near their store to activate a Pokestop or join a Pokemon Gym. They've made clear that "GameStop provides a real-life backdrop for encounters with Pokemon during players ongoing journey with Pokemon GO." PR for the company also wrote, "This partnership is designed to motivate Trainers to explore more of the world around them and provide the opportunity to check-out the latest and greatest Pokémon products at their local GameStop."

As it is with all activities mentioned on or with SlashGear, we recommend that you avoid crowds or non-masked individuals wherever possible. Large groups of Pokemon GO trainers are no less succeptable to COVID-19 or any other coronavirus than any other group of people. Dropping in to GameStop to join a Pokemon Gym and buy a bunch of Pokemon merch isn't worth dying for.

You could, however, more than likely access the GameStop Pokemon GO locations without actually going in to the physical store. As it is with all Pokestops and Pokemon Gym locations, there's an access radius that's larger than the physical confines of the building. You should be able to play outdoors.

In the case of a GameStop in a mall, you'll probably be better off skipping the stop altogether. If you've avoided the mall for the past year, this is not a good enough reason to break your streak!