Players everywhere, organizing their game and collecting new Pokemon.

Ike was level 22. His best was a 1700 CP Vapeon. He wasn't sure that the hysteria around the game could be sustained, but guessed that new characters could extend the life of it. He hadn't spent any real money on the game yet.

He shared his strategy of overtaking a gym at 3am to get coins. He was on team Mystic.

Gabriel and Fatima were sitting down together in the darkened park. He was a level 13 player with a 378 Ratata. He hadn't played the previous day at all. Nor had he spent any money.

He confessed he would probably eventually spend money on the game to buy lures as balls were abundant. He was astounded at the crowds and the success of the game.

Fatima was level 6. She had just started playing and hadn't spent any money on the game. She wasn't sure the game had legs, but was sure she would keep playing after "the hype dies down". She was in it for the long haul.

Sandy and Daniel were the coolest dudes in the park. Sandy was level 13 with a 998 Arcanine. He hadn't spent any money on the game, but he might. Daniel was a level 17 player with a 1422 Arcanine. He told me about the strategy of beating a gym with a group of four friends, coordinating the attack with them.

21 year old Kimmy was at the park with her mom Lynn. She was level 13 with a high-powered Vaporeon as her favorite.

"There are a million people here!"

She hadn't spent any money on the game and didn't anticipate that she would.

I apologize to Chase, Marty, Luis and Alicia for the blurry photos I got of them. Chase was level 17 and played "Everywhere, from Rocklin to Elk Grove". He hadn't spent any money on the game yet, but anticipated that he probably would soon. Marty was level 19 with a 1093 Pokemon as his best. He had spent $10 on pokeballs when he found himself empty handed in the middle of a monster hunt.

Luis was level 12, with a 633 Electrabuzz. He hadn't gone out last night to play. He anticipated that the game would lose steam quickly, and was "kinda sad" that the current level of hype couldn't last. He was happy that he game would be up and running for a while. He had beaten one gym, defeating his brother to take the crown.

Alicia was level 16 and had come from the park at Sutter's Fort in midtown. She had a cp 1300 Arcanine and hadn't spend any money on the game yet. When I asked her if she planned to spend any real money on it, she replied "I'd like to say no...".