Since the latest iPhone software update with iOS 10, there has been an app that has taken the world by storm, and it is called GamePigeon.
GamePigeon is an app that integrates itself into the text messaging app of the iPhone’s software and allows people to play games directly from their text messaging apps. These games include 8-Ball, Sea Battle, and Four in a Row, which are digital knock-offs of pool, battleship, and connect four.
At Carlmont, the impact of the app has been felt by many students.
“A lot of people are into these games and I see a lot of people around campus playing during passing period and lunch,” said Olivia Manzanares, a senior. “My favorite game is 8-Ball because I really like pool in real life and on the app as well. If you play on the app, it is not too short of a game, but it does not take a long time to finish either.”
The amount of phone usage at Carlmont is already high as Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram are large parts of many students’ daily routine. But, GamePigeon is beginning to make its way into the routine of students as well.
“I have been on my phone more since the app has come out,” said Chad Davies, a senior. “My phone battery is below thirty percent when I come home from school.”
Many students have noticed that the GamePigeon app has also increased the competitive feelings between friends.
Tyrese Lopez, a junior, said, “I have noticed that not only myself but also a lot of my friends have been so caught up in the app that we go on our phones much more. I guess part of it comes from being competitive and part of it comes from just having fun playing each other in different games.”
The game’s invention has sparked many different points of view from the Carlmont community as some think the coming of the app is a good thing, and some think it is a bad thing.
“I find myself distracted when I play with my friends instead of doing homework or studying,” said Monojit Chakraborty, a senior. “It is like Flappy Bird from my freshmen year.”
Despite the distraction that the app provides, many students find popular apps such as GamePigeon to be a strong uniting force in any community.
Manzanares said, “I think these games are good for society because it brings people closer together and it makes people more competitive.”
