Nope, No matter how much anyone else tells you otherwise, it is still only a game. Thusly play it in the way that is fun for you.

Nope, it's not just a game.

@Calvsie, I can understand why people view it as more than a game. The huge social aspect alone differentiates it from other phone games. I also can't remember when Angry Birds got me to head out in the middle of the night to drop a link to help another player.

Ingress: not just a game, it's a lifestyle. Or a cult. Or both.

It's a game. It is also a cult and a weird ass lifestyle. As they often say, why not both??