U.K. sports apparel retailer JD Sports and Nike have partnered with Pokémon GO to drive players in-store. Currently, Pokémon GO players are rewarded for visiting physical locations that host in-game PokéStops, where they can obtain in-game items. Now, JD Sports has created 300 PokéStops across the U.K. and Europe, and players can collect exclusive avatar items inspired by Nike apparel, as well as purchase IRL versions of those items. Pokémon GO has been a massive mobile gaming success since it launched five years ago, and brands that have partnered with its virtual world have reaped the benefits. Meanwhile, as gaming becomes nearly universal among young consumers, fashion brands have increasingly infiltrated these virtual worlds, becoming the latest hotspot for Gen Z fashion. (Adweek)