Pokémon GO's incredible success has taken developer Niantic by surprise, with the app now challenging the likes of Twitter when it comes to daily active users. Its release has also helped Nintendo's standing in the world of finance - a welcome change when you consider the company's high-profile struggles in 2016.
However, it's not all good news. Pokémon GO's core premise - which involves going out into the real world to find Pokémon, collect items and battle at gyms - has caused some unexpected and unwanted side-effects. We reported last week that a police station in Australia had to advise players not to actually enter the premises in order to collect items, but it would appear that is just the tip of the iceberg.
The O'Fallon, Missouri Police Department has reported that armed robbers have used the AR game to lure in young victims and rob them of their possessions. Four suspects were apprehended in relation to the robberies, which took place when the thieves used Pokémon GO to setup a lure at a Pokéstop within the game. 11 unsuspecting players - aged between 16 and 18 - were robbed at gunpoint.
Personal injury is another risk when playing Pokémon GO. According to a poster on Reddit:
Pokemon Go put me in the ER last night. Not even 30 minutes after the release last night, I slipped and fell down a ditch. Fractured the fifth metatarsal bone in my foot, 6-8 weeks for recovery. I told all the doctors I was walking my dog lol... Watch where you're going, folks!
People have also been warned against driving with Pokémon GO open on their phones. Given that you can cover more ground, pass more Pokéstops and potentially encounter more Pokémon, it's unsurprising that players are using the app when behind the wheel - a very dangerous idea when you consider how distracting it can be. Washington's Department of Transportation is so concerned that it has issued the following warning via Twitter:
At the somewhat less dramatic end of the scale, we have reports that kids are experiencing sores and pains due to the increased amount of physical activity undertaken in the pursuit of 'mon. What that says about the general fitness of the world's youth, we're not sure.
Do you have any stories of misfortune related to Pokémon GO that you'd like to share?
[source motherboard.vice.com, via reddit.com, gamespot.com, gizmodo.com.au]
Comments 52
Unwanted side-effects of Pokémon Go human nature.
I'm a cyclist so I can't wait till go comes out in UK I'm gonna be cycling all over the place looking for pokes 😀
(in the passenger seat) I remember that time a Pokemon was on the window
The pokeball took 24 seconds rolling down the car
24fps confirmed?
Erm nothing is worse than this story:
https://mynintendonews.com/2016/07/08/a-girl-discovered-a-dead-body-while-playing-pokemon-go/
@Bunkerneath I didn't want to mention that, TBH.
Kind of inevitable really.Groups of youths walking around with their phones out,heads down focused on catching Pokemon.Easy pickings for the criminally minded.
@PtM
Still a girl in some people's eyes.
Luring players and ambushing them? That's unfortunate. Not watching where you're walking/driving? Your own fault.
At least the game is encouraging exercise. You can't help human nature, but it seems the app has had a mostly positive effect.
The real world sucks, which is why I play Pokemon in the fake world instead.
Except that Missouri incident ehich shows human scum, rest are not because of Pokemon Go as many would love to believe, but because of botomless stupidity and irresponsibility.
The kids feeling pain from icreased activity is not less dramatic, it's sad and wake up call that kids should not be parented by tv and as much as Nintendo loves that image by them, but parents/family, because if you leave kids to tv, them bideo gaemz, we will soon see the end, not to games, but lives and civilization.
@Damo While she was playing Pokemon GO at the time, the game isn't exactly relevent to Pokemon GO. Don't worry about not putting it in the post. It didn't do any harm.
And that's the beauty of the Pokemon world, as opposed to ours. Organised crime can be instantly solved simply by having a Pokemon battle, with every party respecting the outcome.
People walking around on phones not concentrating, or people using there phone while driving.
This is not a pokemon problem, it's normal life.....
And, don't forget finding dead bodies.
But, it's apparently already on over 5% of Android devices in the US, which surely would put it in the ten/hundreds of millions downloads range, so at least it's going to be a huge hit for Nintendo.
I'm sure this is going to be really encouraging for Nintendo, in terms of determining where it focus its resources going forward into the future, particularly if Nintendo likes to listen to the shareholders.
This is surely going to be great news for all the gamers like me out there . . . right?
lol...dunno what to say to all this...I haven't had any problems. xp
Had to download it even though hasn't officially released yet.
Grabbed my two year old and took him for a stroll spontaneously. Normally he can walk, but this time we took the runningtrolley for some reason
@Dave24 What's bideo gamez? Something from Urban Dictionary?
Remember: Pokemon don't hurt people. People hurt people.
Mainly themselves.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/horrified-pokemon-go-player-questioned-8389985
If you believe that any publicity is good publicity then all this bad stuff you are reporting is good for Nintendo.
Maybe there should be a warning on the box.
NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNLESS SUPERVISED
Great. Just when the amount of texting drivers I see is reaching a peak. lol
@Dave24 Well, at least people are going outside rather than playing "bideo gamez".
People already use their phones while driving without Pokemon GO. It's ridiculous either way, and someone could seriously get hurt or killed because you're trying to catch a Pokemon or text your friends about it. Be responsible please!
I honestly don't understand why Go is linked to that dead body incident. The app's link is worth a footnote at best. The app is not to blame for a crime.
@Kirk Isn't finding the body a good thing?
I mean, the game didn't kill the person, but the corpse was found thanks to it.
@Moshugan Sort of, I guess. lol
@Moshugan
Finding a dead body thanks to Pokemon GO sure makes for a colorful headline.
@LegendOfPokemon they still play vidja. It's good they get out of home, bit it still doesn't change the fact that kids are addicts to phones/ipads/whatever device and games, which is dangerous outside for themselves. Examples are in this article and there could be more.
@Ninten-san it's nintendtmblr, so every way of spelling is allowed, even vidja james.
"No Pokemoning from behind the wheel."
Yeah, don't be like Gary Oak.
Soon Pokemon Go players will mindlessly wander into a hospital and go inside the morgue. There, they will see even more dead bodies.
There's a lot of implication for an AR game like this: What if a strip club or other seedy places were designated as a Pokestop or a gym? Will children be drawn to these places looking for Pokemon?
@shaneoh I'm really beginning to wonder if peoplr actually know what "clickbait" means. Heh-heh...
This stuff shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, though.
The world's youth? Really only the American youth at this point...
This is a human problem, not a Pokemon problem. People looking down on their phones, not looking at where they are going can lead to all of this with the one exception being the robbery thing.
Plus most people know that starring at your phone like that is going to cause some pains. This isn't Pokemon GO's fault.
@Bunkerneath @GeminiSaint
Might be suspicious if you found a Haunter in the same place.
Stay Safe. Play Pokemon X/Y instead
@Bunkerneath Damn....
@mariovslink62 And people played Ingress the same way, except in Ingress, portals were at public landmarks, churches, and other places available to the public.
Of course kids are experiencing sores and pains, it's called getting exercise.
People are actually dense enough to play Pokemon GO while behind the wheel? SMH
@Trinexx
It's not like it started this idiotic trend. I see plenty of idiots texting while driving even though they'll get a fine.
If someone gets hurt texting or playing Pokemon Go while walking that's their own fault .
As far as robbers and violent criminals go, they're always gonna be somewhere unfortunately.
People pay attention to your surroundings and remember to carry protection whether you play Go or not.
Common sense is good to have.
@Ninten-san "v"s are pronounced like "b"s in spanish. My parents pronounce it as Bee-de-oh. The "oh" sound is short.
They need to add GPS speed calculation, the app could stop itself when you go over Ste 5 or 10 miles per hour
Never underestimate the stupidity of the general public or the guile of criminal elements.
@Danrenfroe2016 What about people using public transportation or those who are passengers in cars?
I wouldn't be surprised if the government tries to outlaw it because of people's own stupidity. >.<
@Danrenfroe2016 That's a great idea, but @Kirby-life makes a good point.
@Kirby-life are these points are supposed to go to actually miles away? Kama I have not played the game yet, when I Go Geocaching I generally drive in my car and then walk to the location, so your point might be valid, I have not tried it yet though
@3MonthBeef
Agreed! There's already laws against being on the phone while driving. Unfortunately that doesn't stop stupid people.
It wouldn't be bad if they only took themselves out, but taking other people out because they were being senseless and inconsiderate to say the least... that's not cool.
It's not the company's fault this happened, but you know people will try and sue anyway.
Just like it's not an alcohol company's fault that morons continue to drink and drive, even knowing the possible consequences to themselves and others.
So stupid people doing stupid things? Natural selection, nothing new.
You see all these AR adventures and features and can't help marveling at how the humanity has progressed.
Then you see how people still need to be TOLD not to have their eyes glued to phone screen when driving a car, and the aforesaid impression is quickly cured.
@Tempestryke: Yeah, unfortunately there's really no way to prevent idiots from doing stupid things. Blaming accidents and the like on Pokemon GO is like blaming a car driven by a drunk for injuring or killing someone else.
http://knowledgeglue.com/3-children-killed-while-playing-pokemon-go/
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