What you need to know about Pokémon GO

On July 6, Niantic and Nintendo released the highly anticipated Pokémon Go! App, and freshman Easton Ashmore celebrated alongside the rest of the gaming world. Playing Pokémon Go, an interactive gaming app designed for smart phones, quickly became Ashmore’s favorite pastime. The Searcy native spent upwards of five hours a day playing the game. However, it wasn’t until he stumbled upon a third-party ranking site that he realized how his hours of playing were paying off. During July, Ashmore held the title of No. 1 player in the state of Arkansas. The site has since been removed, but Ashmore remains in the top 5,000 players worldwide according to online site Pokeadvisor.com. During the school year, Ashmore plans to keep his game-play under control by deleting the app during the week and re-downloading it on the weekend. To the right [sic], you’ll see some tips he shared to help other players improve their Poké-prowess.