Pokemon Go has received a lot of bad press since its release. From police officers warning people to not fall prey to criminals setting Pokemon Go traps to the anti-tech crowd lamenting about people using their phones to search for Pokemon all over hill and dale, it's almost like the game is causing Armageddon. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are dozens of positive stories about Nintendo's revolutionary game that dwarf the naysayers, proving that the game is not only changing the way the world looks at video games, but the actual positive impact that games can have on the world itself. For people and animals alike, the app is so much more than a game.

From improved mental and physical health to better quality of life, saving actual lives to advancing everything from law enforcement to the political process, here are 15 Ways Pokemon Go Is Making The World A Better Place.

15. A Soothing Escape

There is no denying that Pokemon Go is a whimsical addition to life in general, adding an element of animated fantasy to any setting and allowing s to virtually interact with cool creatures in a brand new way. But as much as Pokemon Go feels like a fun escape from the banality of reality for the individuals who casually play the game, it is an even bigger and better distraction for hospital patients who otherwise have no form of escape.

Being stuck in a hospital is difficult for people of all ages, but when patients have access to a game that allows them to pretend they are doing something completely different than laying in a bed all day, it helps them keep their minds off their suffering and and get locked into a fun, new goal. When a Psyduck hangs out with you during a chemo treatment, the experience could suck a tiny bit less.

14. Business Patronage

People might be crying foul over Pokemon Go sending kids to their local McDonald's, but plenty of small businesses, including some that have struggled, have seen profits because of the game. Small businesses can spend a minimal amount of money on a lure to help get players to come catch Pokemon and experience huge profit margins as a result. One example, L'Inizio Pizza Bar, has reaped a 75% increase in sales since using a lure.

Pokemon is also already a better way to connect with customers without throwing ads in their faces. Pokemon s spend nearly double the amount of time that they spend on Instagram on the game, with the average in the United States playing for 43 minutes a day. Lure Modules can even be activated at certain limited time periods to help increase competitiveness among players while fostering an increase in business during peak hours.

13. City Exploration

Having a staycation to explore your own city may be all the rage for families on a budget, but it isn't something that people tend to do on a regular basis. Many people don't even know about the hidden wonders that exist in their hometowns. From museums to science centers, eccentric roadside attractions to famous birthplaces and parks, Pokemon Go is leading people on adventures without travelling too far from home.

New tourists are also becoming attracted to Pokemon hot spots. Experts say the game is even Pokemon Go is combining the technology with instant access via Smartphone as well as the nostalgic love of Pokemon, resulting in something that most people can enjoy at any time of day without cumbersome equipment or expensive accessories.

12. A Pokemon Is A Person In Your Neighborhood

Social media has come under a lot of fire for isolating people rather than bringing them together. Pokemon Go forces people to connect and venture out, and while that doesn't mean players have to talk to one another, being social is a side effect of the game. People are getting together, becoming more neighborly and even picking up new stories to share just by playing the game.

When people opt to stay inside and live via their screens, they just don't pick up the same kind of life adventures that give mankind the best stories. Pokemon Go is helping people reconnect with their inner explorers that are part of natural human nature, enabling them to make friends and share experiences better than any other game.

11. Saving Animal Lives

One of the best stories being shared around the Internet right now is about how Pokemon Go is finding homes for shelter animals. While some Facebook posts about the story vastly exaggerated its actual impact on the shelter, it is true that the Muncie Animal Shelter of Indiana not only offers a dog walking program for people who want to get outside and catch Pokemon with a companion, but that at least six dogs have been adopted via the initiative.

Other cities are catching on to the tactic, inviting players to take a dog out for a walk, resulting in two-thirds of the dog population of at least one shelter getting adopted in the process. The shelter dogs are also receiving the benefits of socialization and exercise when volunteers offer to walk the dogs while they catch Pikachu and Eevee. Officials say that female dogs can even produce more milk when they are walked more regularly.

10. Catching Bad Guys

"Gotta catch 'em all!" doesn't only apply to Pokemon these days, even when dead body while using the game during its first week of use, but it's also helping authorities catch criminals pretty quickly.

Reports are coming in across the nation about how Pokemon Go has led to the arrest or apprehension of baddies, from alleged vandals to an attempted murder suspect to possible child molesters. Some officers are even using the game as bait to lure criminals into a trap. Officers are also bonding with players at a time when civilian and law enforcement tensions are high, being photographed playing the game with locals and improving community relations. Some are saying that the game is helping to break down barriers between police officers and the communities they protect.

 9. ing Voters

Even when politics seem more polarizing than ever, Pokemon Go is getting people to care about elections. Several political groups, including the Clinton campaign, are using the game as an incentive to to vote. Organizers are setting up Pokestops and gyms to encourage locals to venture out to their location and become ed or to with the campaign. Not to be outdone, Donald Trump has also employed Pokemon Go in his campaign, but in ads against the former Secretary of State.

Some campaign workers are even traveling to Pokestops to find potential voters. Media experts say that it has traction because of the way it's designed to get people outside and moving. Given that President Obama relied heavily upon new technology and social media in particular for his popularity with youth and overall victory, politicians from any side could see a jump in numbers for hitching onto the Pokemon wagon.

8. Physical Fitness

Although no one is going to burn many calories in a virtual Pokemon Go gym, there is no denying that the game has a big perk that plenty of other games lack: it gets people outside and exercising. Some parts of the game, such as hatching eggs, even require people to move their bodies. Cheats don't work in this situation, either, as warehouse workers have tried to hatch eggs while walking through their plants only for the game to time out once it detects repetitive movement in circles. s cannot hatch eggs traveling in a vehicle, either, as there is a speed limit imposed to ensure gamers actually do the legwork.

People who engage in regular physical fitness outside breathe in fresh air and achieve not only better physical health, but improved mental health as well. Individuals who spend more time in nature are also more likely to care about the environment, making Pokemon Go a possible tool to help better the health of the planet as well as that of its inhabitants.

7. Matchmaking

Finding love with the assistance of a virtual world is not unheard of among gamers, with plenty of couples citing Warcraft or Halo as their matchmaker. While some people may scoff at this form of partner-finding, it actually makes plenty of sense to find your soulmate doing what you love to do. After all, who better to spend the rest of your life with than the person who enjoys your hobby as much as you do?

That is what Pokemon Go is doing. The game is a dating service is in development, as they meet to catch a Squirtle or Jigglypuff only to leave with someone's number. It is meeting up at a bookstore, bar or park with the added bonus of already knowing at least one of the person's interests. One young man who met a date this way said, "I've never met a stranger and felt so connected. It's like you shared the same childhood."

6. It's A Game-Changer

Even with virtual reality more accessible than ever, Pokemon Go is nothing short of a game-changer. The free app hit number one in U.S. phone sales within 13 hours of hitting the market and became the number-one ed game. Its popularity is uncontested. While previous location-based mobile games have had little to moderate success, Pokemon Go has combined the nostalgia of Pokemon with the whimsy of fantasy taking real form via virtual reality into something that may change the way games are created forever. s have spent more time on the game than on Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram, prompting social networking gurus to think outside the box in order to remain competitive as well. Future social networking tools may include more opportunities for the face-to-face connection that Pokemon Go is creating.Pokemon Go is also changing the way businesses , as was mentioned above. This is a very welcome change considering that people can now play through an ad experience rather than stomach through the ads annoyingly taking up computer space. Other companies will be sure to jump  on the Pokemon Go train soon not just for their advertising needs but also their own games that work as lures. Without the nostalgia behind their games, however, they may not be as successful.