Pokemon Go: Bigger and better than ever – here's why you have to go back!

Two years ago, in the summer of 2016, people who played Pokémon GO on their smartphones could not move

. The game was a phenomenon that affected not just a nation, but the whole world. As a fervent Pokémon fan, I was of course one of the many players who could not bring down the game, clumsily knocking passersby on the street while I was trying this perfect curve to catch a Pikachu who was passing

I was, until recently, a Pokémon GO player dropped. That's because over time, the near-infinite milling of this first 14-month period for the game began to wear incredibly thin. And then, about a year and a half from the existence of the game, the game had become obsolete even for this hardcore trainer.

And we suspect that we are not alone, with many other casual players who may give up before our

But it's easy to suggest that the above is normal and that "No one plays Pokémon GO anymore," the truth is that the game could not work better.

Recent figures suggest that more people played at Pokémon GO in May 2018 than at any time since the game's initial launch.

Which is also excellent new for games, new social features long awaited. Lists of gaming friends to help you make friends as well as the opportunity to make gifts and to chat with your friends (passionately).

Eager to see if that had really changed, I recently jumped in. I've been bitten by the proverbial bug Pokémon GO again.

Not only are the new features a revelation. But, the past updates that I had previously missed – quests to help catch Legendary Pokemon – have also given the game a new life. Not to mention, a plethora of new Pokémon that have been added to the game since my last start.

But as we mention, the current update is formed around strengthening links with friends and other players. And this new sense of "community" could only be better underscored by the last real-world game maker event, which took place in Dortmund, Germany, last weekend.

Daily Star was present on the sun-drenched city and the beautiful Westfalenpark, for a happy event reminiscent of any summer music festival.

And it was not just piles of geeks from 18 to 30 years old. The event was an eclectic mix of Pokémon GO players ranging from very young claws of 5 or 6 (with parents), to the surprisingly older generation of 65+.

We met trainers who hunted from all over Europe to be present and surprisingly few of those who had flown over Korea, Nebraska and even Mexico!

This shows that the game is not dead. And thanks to the latest news from the games, it's also better than ever.

While the weather is beautiful, get out and catch them again and again.