Pokémon GO is Turning Your Local Starbucks Into a Gym

By Cameron Wade | December 8, 2016 | 11:48am

Images via Niantic/Nintendo

Video Games News Pokémon GO

Out of the world of corporate synergy comes today’s update to Pokémon GO: more than 7,800 Starbucks across the country will become PokéStops or Gyms. Participating Starbucks will also be offering a Pokémon GO-themed frappuccino with raspberry syrup, freeze-dried blackberries and whipped cream. We guess it’s a reference to Razz Berries, the fruit you can throw in GO to make it easier to catch Pokémon, but that’s not exactly the most Pokémon-y reference you could have made, is it, Starbucks?

CEO of Pokémon GO developer Niantic John Hanke said in a press release:

Starbucks has played an important role in creating welcoming places for people to come together for refreshment and social engagement. The physical locations component of the collaboration is important to us as we look for ways to use technology to encourage exploration, exercise and real world social interaction, and Starbucks’ footprint throughout the U.S. provides an awesome platform.

J.C. Smith, Sr. Director of Consumer Marketing for The Pokémon Company, said:

The Pokémon brand has been surprising and delighting its fans for 20 years and we’re thrilled to be working with a premium brand like Starbucks to bring Pokémon GO to many of its U.S. locations. We’re always looking for the best ways to deliver the joy of our gameplay and beloved characters to our fans, so we’re also excited to see the first-ever Pokémon-themed Starbucks beverage.

Starting today at 1 p.m. EST, your local Starbucks might be making the transition into the world of Pokémon.