If you’ve noticed people walking around and looking at their phones more than usual the past few weeks, that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a lot of texting going on — chances are they’re catching Pokémon.

Bermuda has not escaped the clutches of the Pokémon Go app which has become an international phenomenon since its release last month, with at least 15 million downloads across the globe.

A virtual reality game, it allows players to hunt for mythical creatures, train them to fight, and then brawl with other Pokémon at special Pokémon gyms. All the action is edited in the real world through their phone’s camera.

Here in Bermuda, the app comes with a map of the island, identifying a series of “Pokéstops”: places where you can obtain items to catch more Pokémon, from Flatts Post Office to the Bermuda National Library, from to Par-la-Ville Place to St George’s Town Hall. Its participants are a mix of all ages and all backgrounds: at one popular gathering spot, next to Snowy’s in Hamilton, up to 30 people, including lawyers and construction workers, find common ground in the virtual world on Friday afternoons. One player, 21-year-old Tyler Gunn, spends 20 to 50 hours a week playing Pokémon Go: “I’ve made some new friends from this, as well as seeing old friends who I had no idea liked these types of games,” Mr Gunn told The Royal Gazette. “Last weekend we drove to St George’s from Southampton and then met up with two other players and drove around Harrington Sound. The weekend before we went up to Dockyard. Most of the time is spent in town due to the high capacity of Pokéstops and Pokémon gyms.”

Ethan Edmunds, 13, said: “It gets gamers that don’t ever go outside, like me; and socially awkward people have made friends for the first time. Players can be a kid again. This game has shown a nostalgic side to its audience. It’s fantastic; it’s as close as we can get to the virtual world.”

Although Pokémon has been all fun and games in Bermuda, there has been a serious side in other countries, with three players in London robbed of their phones at gunpoint. When opening the app, players are warned: “Do not enter dangerous areas while playing Pokémon Go. Remember to be alert at all times. Stay aware of your surroundings.”

But with no reported incidents in Bermuda, Troyundé Davis, 23, said: “I play safe I don’t go out in the middle of the night to catch Pokémon like others might do. The best part is interacting with people; it has bought antisocial people outside and has helped a lot of people out of depression.”