Connecting the dots: Pokémon Go's global AR craze is now steering something far more prosaic than virtual Pikachu: real delivery robots trying to find the right doorway on a crowded city block. The same location data and street-level imagery that once anchored monsters to sidewalks and plazas have been repurposed by Niantic. Coco Robotics is now using that technology to guide its sidewalk bots through dense urban areas where GPS alone is too unreliable to keep them on course.
In context: A YouTuber recreated a real-life working version of the Pokédex from the 1990s anime series. For those unfamiliar, the Pokédex was a red camera-like device that Ash used to identify Pokémon. The gadget would analyze the creature and then vocally tell Ash its name and description.
Why it matters: Palworld, a new Early Access survival title that let's players tame and train Pokémon-like creatures, has topped the Steam Top Sellers chart, shifting 5 million copies in its first 4 days of release. Time may tell, but currently it seems to be more than just hype, the game has already amassed over 57 reviews and sits at "Very Positive" on Steam. At the time of writing, 93% of all reviews posted are positive.