For the record, EXACTLY THIS has happened before with Ingress, Niantic's previous game. Those who do not learn from history etc. etc.

Austin Grossman's "You" came close. It had flaws (sausagefestlichkeit primary among them), but it was a very loving, generous book about computer-games-turned-real without any smarm.

But it was coke.

"Neighbors, what are you doing?"
"Uh, showing on Hulu, sir."
"What, on TV? Like people? What? Look, he thinks he's people!"