Pokémon GO first launched 10 years ago, and Community Ambassador for the Pokémon GO community in Yarrabilba, Jan Ebbers, has been playing since it started.
Ms Ebbers began playing when her 13-year-old daughter, Chantelle, told her she needed to download the game so she would finally be able to get Chantelle of the house and explore parklands.
Ms Ebbers did just that and she was hooked.
She started leading the Yarrabilba Pokémon GO community when she moved to the suburb a few years ago.
She built a local community through Facebook and as it grew, she became more involved in organising events and bringing people together.
“It grew to a point where I had quite a community gathering,” Ms Ebbers said.
As an active community leader, she applied to the Community Ambassador program, run by the game’s developers, which supports Pokémon GO Trainers around the world who are actively building and supporting their community.
There was an extensive background check, and the onboarding took nine and a half months.
Ms Ebbers has been a Community Ambassador for nearly two years and is part of a group of around 30 other people who are also Community Ambassadors in Queensland.
All Community Ambassadors are volunteers and Ms Ebbers said running the events does take quite a bit of time, organisation and out of pocket expenses, but that is by choice.
The Yarrabilba Pokémon GO Community is now 800 large on the Pokémon GO companion app, Campfire, and has about 300 members on Facebook.
Ms Ebbers said the role has given her an opportunity to support the Pokémon GO community even further.
“It’s global and it’s grown more than anyone could have ever imagined,” Ms Ebbers said.
Meet-ups are held several times a week, generally on Saturday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, coinciding with events held in-game.
Ms Ebbers said having places that are welcoming and accessible, such as Darlington Parklands, helps the community function and provides a space for people to come together, walk, play and chat.
The Buzz also works closely with the group, as it is able to use the indoor spaces when the weather is not so friendly.
The group recently ventured out to Brisbane City for the first ever Pokémon GO City Safari in Brisbane.
Held over two days late last month, players gathered to complete research tasks in-game and catch exclusive Pokémon along the way.
One thing Ms Ebbers is proud of is how inclusive the community is.
With people of all different ages and experience levels, new players are always welcome to join events, no matter where they are on their Pokémon GO journey.
“You can have someone who is 10 years old standing next to someone who is 60, and they can both be excited about finding the same Pokémon or taking on the same raid,” Ms Ebbers said.
She believes the friendships made and the community found is what keeps people coming back.
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