Meet the 70‑Year‑Old Pokemon Grandmaster
Who says the Pokemon Go craze is all behind us? In Taiwan, a 70‑year‑old feng‑shui wizard named Chen San‑yuan is proving otherwise—by riding a bike with a mobile phone circus strapped to it.
Phones on Wheels
- Started with six phones, now rocking nine, and the BBC says the count has reached eleven.
- Each phone displays a different Pokemon Go screen; Chen is like a walking, cycling, pixel parade.
- He carries power banks that can keep every device buzzing for up to 20 hours—no charger‑free mission in this park.
Pay‑Per‑Catch Life
Chen admits he shells out about NT$10,000 (≈S$446) a month just to keep the game alive. That’s on top of the internet traffic and his Feng Shui vibes. The numbers speak: USA$1.8 billion has flowed into the game worldwide, with USA$48 million coming from Taiwanese players alone.
Grandpa Pokemon
Dubbed affectionately “Uncle Pokemon,” Chen’s story began when his grandson introduced him to the app. A few days later, the grandson was pinging “Sore Champion!” while Chen was on a bike trip, hunting for ones with a “Koko‑Koko” chant.
Motivation, Mirth, and Mindfulness
Chen cites a few good reasons for his craze: fun (who wouldn’t like catching digital critters?), connection (meeting buddies at parks), and a self‑proclaimed defense against Alzheimer’s. “Playing keeps my memory sharp,” he says, with a grin that’s probably shinier than any Pokemon badge.
Community Buzz
Before the interview, Chen was basically a parade‑performance buddy in online circles. Reddit gave his ‘Hardcore Pokemon hunter grandpa’ post 75,000 upvotes, so some people are pulling double duty for us—one retro mobile at a time.
Whether you’re a seasoned Pokémon GO explorer or just rooting for a granddad who keeps his phones afloat, Chen’s story reminds us that age is no barrier to chasing digital dreams.
