You see them wandering in groups, sometimes dozens together, arms extended, clasping cell phones, and eyes darting between what’s in front of them and what’s on the screen in their hand.
“I am a Pokemon hunter. Finally, I can say that in real life,” said Antonio Thomas.
Nearly 8 million people have downloaded the new mobile game Pokemon Go since it launched last week.
“It is fun. It is amazing,” said Deborah Perez.
“People are just getting along and meeting up in public and walking a lot,” said Andrew Falkenhainer of Earthworld Comics in Albany.
Pokemon Go uses your phone’s GPS to track where you are in the game, utilizing its camera to make virtual Pokemon appear on the screen.
“It is really is exhilarating for somebody like me,” said Thomas.
Players in Albany’s Washington Park, collecting the characters, say the game is getting them to exercise and explore new areas.
"At the end of the day, you're 1,000 calories down and you're 10 Pokemon up,” said Nick Hass.
Nearly 20 years ago, schools across the country banned Pokemon trading cards because they were distracting students. Now law enforcement nationwide has similar concerns.
"People are trespassing and people are focused on their phones walking across streets, walking into traffic, walking through parking lots, not paying attention, trying to grab that trophy,” said Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple.
Apple says his office hasn’t responded to any app-related issues.
"Somebody calls me over the weekend and they’re like, 'Hey, have you had any calls on this Pokemon,' and I’m like, 'Pokemon?' " Apple said.
He is urging players to be aware of their surroundings.