29% of Canadian Pokemon Go players say the game is taking over their lives: Ipsos poll

The Pokemon Go craze has officially spiraled out of control for some users.

According to a new Ipsos poll conducted for Global News, roughly three in ten Canadian users agree that Pokemon Go is “taking over their lives.” The poll found the same number of players admitted to skipping out on day-to-day activities, like working out, in order to satisfy their Pokemon fix.

But although the poll may suggest some people’s love for the augmented reality game borders on obsession, there may be some hidden benefits to playing Pokemon Go.

READ MORE: How Pokemon Go helps youth cope with mental health issues, social anxiety

Some players are raking up impressive distances on their pedometers.

“For example, the average person who has downloaded the app has walked about 13 kilometres, three quarters have met other people who are playing Pokemon Go and two thirds have discovered a new part of their city,” said Sean Simpson, vice president of public affairs for Ipsos Canada.

“Now, whether they are able to enjoy their new surrounding is the big question.”

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However, Simpson is skeptical of labelling Pokemon Go as the next fitness craze.

“If you’re sitting at a Pokestop with your head down and just looking up to check if you’re heading in the right direction, that’s not a suitable exception for your workout,” he said.

“But if you are walking your five kilometres to hatch your eggs then that’s not bad.”

Who is playing Pokemon Go?

The poll also revealed that Pokemon Go isn’t just for kids.

Those aged 18 to 34 are by far the most likely to have downloaded the app followed by those aged 13 to 17, which speaks to the nostalgia of the game, according to Simpson.

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“The earliest segments of millennials – the ones who remember Pokemon the most – seem to be the most interested,” he said. “It’s the Nintendo generation.”

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Twenty-three per cent of men downloaded the app, compared to 16 per cent of women. Men were also more likely to play for longer each day – an average of 2.2 hours – than women, who averaged about 1.6 hours per day.

Exclusive Global News Ipsos polls are protected by copyright. The information and/or data may only be rebroadcast or republished with full and proper credit and attribution to “Global News Ipsos.” This poll was conducted between July 20 and July 25, 2016 , with a sample of 1,100 Canadians from Ipsos’ online panel and is accurate to within +/ – 3.4 percentage points 19 times out of 20.