Pokemon fan lands dream role

When Kiwi Tom Currie quit his job as a barista to become a full-time Pokemon hunter he had no idea it could turn out to be the best career move he has ever made.

The 24-year-old packed in his job at an Auckland cafe last week. Yesterday he told the Herald on Sunday he has been offered a new job as a Pokemon coach by gaming company Gamer Sensei in the US.

Currie is on a two-month tour of New Zealand, with the aim of capturing all of the Pokemon released on smartphone game Pokemon Go.

"What has happened to me in the past week has been bizarre," he said. "People from all over the world have been contacting me and following what I am up to on Facebook.

"I couldn't believe it when a company in America emailed me wanting me to become a full-time Pokemon Go instructor.

"It would never have happened if I hadn't quit my own job."

Currie, from Orewa, north of Auckland, has booked 20 bus trips around New Zealand and so far has captured 93 of the 151 unique Pokemon released in the game.

Yesterday, thousands of Kiwi players turned out at organised Pokemon Go events across New Zealand, including in Hamilton, Christchurch, Wellington and even at a cancelled event at the Domain in Auckland.