Ever miss the thrill of the 2016 Pokémon Go craze? A new anti-swiping dating app has come to fill that void, but instead of cute Pokémon you can catch yourself a hot date.
These days, trying to find a partner IRL, whether at a bar or reluctantly joining a singles running club, is no easy task. Dating apps are still one of the most common places for people trying to meet The One, but . . . have you seen the apps? 2024 has been widely dissed as the year the dating apps died. Both Bumble and Match Group saw stock prices steadily decline since reaching all-time highs in 2021.
Left Field, the latest dating app launched in New York City this week, has the goal to combat swipe fatigue and bring back spontaneity in dating. The app uses location-based notifications to engineer real-life meet-cutes. Instead of actively swiping through endless profiles, the app sends push notifications of a potential match in the area (when location services are switched on) and two users could happen to cross paths.
Samantha Martin and Kate Sieler began building Left Field last year to address their own mounting frustrations with existing dating apps. “We interviewed over a hundred Gen Zers and heard the same three complaints again and again,” the founders told Fast Company in an email. “First, dating apps are a massive time drain; people are spending hours swiping each week. The second issue is the rise of paywalls—it feels like apps are prioritizing monetization over connections. And finally, dating feels more forced and inorganic than ever.” In 2024, 78% of dating app users reportedly feel “emotionally, mentally, or physically exhausted” from the apps, according to one Forbes Health survey.
“At its core, dating should feel fun and serendipitous,” they added. “We believe the future of dating isn’t about making swiping slightly better, but about shifting the focus back to real-life connections.”
The app officially launched on the Apple App Store in February, and to build its community, Left Field is leaning on in-person events and social media. It’s collaborating with comedy influencers on Instagram and TikTok while hosting singles events across New York—teaming up with bars, running clubs, and comedy venues. Looking ahead, Left Field plans to expand to college campuses in May, rolling out student ambassador programs to help spread the word.
“We believe the best connections happen when you are not actively searching for them but just out living your life,” said Martin and Sieler. Gotta catch ’em all.
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