WSU Tri-Cities starts Pokémon-themed campus tours

Need to make campus visits ahead of choosing a college but don’t want to lose time trying to catch Pokémon?

Washington State University Tri-Cities has you covered.

The smartphone game Pokémon GO has been incorporated into specially made tours of the university’s north Richland campus.

The tours will offer views of facilities and its vista of the Columbia River but also the opportunity to stop into the school’s two designated Pokémon gyms and 15 Pokéstops.

“We thought this would be a fun way to incorporate an additional digital element in the tour, while allowing prospective students and their families to view our beautiful university campus,” said Seanna Coleman, the university’s lead student ambassador.

Pokémon Go is an augmented reality game where players look at the world through their phone’s camera, which projects the fantastical creatures of the game, such as the well-known Pikachu, onto the screen.

The game encourages players to walk around to find various creatures but also to check in at Pokéstops and gyms, where players can battle their Pokémon.

The hourlong WSU Tri-Cities tours are available 9 to 10 a.m. or 2 to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Along with learning about the university and the programs it offers, extra time is scheduled in to allow tour participants to hunt for Pokémon.

To sign up for a tour or learn more, call 509-372-7250 or visit the university’s admissions website: bit.ly/WSUTCtours.

This story was originally published July 18, 2016 at 2:35 PM with the headline "WSU Tri-Cities starts Pokémon-themed campus tours."