Destiny and Manuel Vargas, of Kyle, joined many other people Monday with their phones strolling about City Square Park in Kyle.

The couple, like many others, had caught the fever of a new phone app called Pokémon Go, which is based off of the popular Pokémon video game of the 1990s.

For the couple, playing the app brought about nostalgia from their youth.

“We grew up watching the series … we enjoy (the app),” Manuel said.

The game, created by Niantic, allows players to walk around in the real world and virtually collect pocket monsters, or Pokémon. The game uses GPS technology to allow players to find the virtual monsters.

Landmarks, such as the Kyle water tower and library, are used as “Pokestops,” where gamers can collect items and network.

The popularity has led to success for the app. The app has been downloaded to more than two million iPhone operating systems and has generated roughly $1.6 million in revenue daily from in-app purchases, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal.

The app has boosted the market value of Nintendo Co. by $9 billion, according to the WSJ.

A Kyle Fire Department firefighter, who was playing the game while on break Monday, lauded the game’s business model, as it’s “active” and brings people “into the world.”

Kyle resident Dakota Kittleson said the game brought back nostalgia of his childhood.

While he said there isn’t necessarily a point to the game, it does get people from all walks of life together. Kittleson joined several of his friends to play the game in City Square Park Monday. Kittleson said the Pokemon brand has a place “in a lot of people’s hearts.”

“Most of the time, Nintendo keeps it to their consoles and handheld games,” Kittleson said. “The fact they brought something to the mobile market and it’s that brand, it resonates with a lot of people.”

Kyle resident Joseph Hernandez, who played the original game in his youth, said he joined the bandwagon after his friends downloaded the game. Hernandez said the game is immersive that there’s “not another app like that.”

But with the app’s notoriety, there are also concerns.

A group of teens in Missouri used the app to stake out locations and robbed people. The Texas Department of Transportation tweeted reminders on Monday for people to not play Pokémon Go and drive.

Gary Miliefsky, co-founder and CEO of SnoopWall, Inc., a mobile device security company, said the app’s augmented reality aspect has opened a “Pandora’s Box” to Internet security issues.

Miliefsky said he sees the app as “creepware,” which could potentially allow hackers to mine information from children and the parents who allow them to use it.

“As the app starts to hit 25 to 50 million downloads, it becomes a target for cyber criminals to hack into (Niantic’s) database,” Miliefsky said.

He also was concerned over the GPS element, which he said records “where you are at all times,” which could be a danger for children.

Miliefsky said the behavior of those playing the game is also concerning, as those who play are “so immersed in the screen, they don’t care about anything else.”

While he hasn’t reached out to Niantic, Miliefsky said he has reached out to Google in the past regarding similar security issues.  

“(Niantic) won’t change until there’s lawsuits,” Miliefsky said. “I predict there will be class action lawsuits.”

Kyle Police Chief Jeff Barnett said officers are aware of the app and have seen people playing the game.

He said people playing the game should pay attention to their surroundings at all times and stay safe while crossing or walking down the street. Barnett also said players shouldn’t play the game and drive, as it’s illegal to use mobile devices while driving in Kyle.

Players should also respect property rights when playing and that it’s illegal to trespass on someone’s property without permission, Barnett said. There have been no calls regarding trespassing as a result of the game in Kyle.

“The biggest thing is make sure children are not playing this game without adult supervision,” Barnett said. “It’s best to travel in pairs and don’t put yourself in a dangerous situation.”