A running list of things that’ve gone wrong as people play Pokémon Go

Pokémon Go is a new augmented reality (AR) game that allows players to wander the world catching tiny cartoon creatures called pokémon. The game uses your smartphone camera to show the real world around you, and superimposes the pokémon on your real world landscape. Released at the beginning of July, it’s already been wildly successful. The game, co-developed by Niantic, The Pokémon Company, and Nintendo has already and caused Nintendo’s stock to surge. Niantic is known for its previous augmented reality games and apps, most notably Ingress and Google Field Trip.
Beyond the fun of amassing a digital pokémon collection, the cool part of the game is its guiding players to monuments and noteworthy places in their neighborhoods, which serve as “pokéstops” that get players points. The downside of the game is that players need to be pretty glued to their smartphone out in the world in order to play successfully.
In its first week, it’s proved wildly popular and is already the most downloaded app in the Android and iTunes app stores. Along with its success have come some problems and security issues. This is where we’ll keep track of them.

A dead body was found while playing
Probably the first big, bad story to emerge about the game was the news that it led 19-year-old Shayla Wiggins to a dead body by a river in a Riverton, Wyoming. Wiggins told KCWY that she went to the river in search of water pokémon, and instead found the body of an unidentified man, whose death police say is probably accidental.
Wiggins also said this will not dissuade her from her Pokémon quest, telling KCWY “Yeah, I might go get a water pokemon. I’m going to try.”
Some peoples’ homes are Pokéspots

One of the core parts of the game are Pokéspots, landmarks like historical buildings and murals where players can collect items they need to catch and battle with pokémon. The problem is, occasionally these are not what they seem. For instance, Boon Sheridan, a designer, lives in what was once a church…

List of Car Accidents Caused by Pokémon GO Trainers (players)

• Baltimore MD, July 19, 2016: A Toyota RAV4 hit a parked police car while playing Pokemon GO – WAFB
• Fall City, WA, July 18, 2016: A 28yr old man rearended another driver while playing Pokemon GO. – King5
• Auburn NY, July 12, 2016: A 28yr old man in Auburn New York crashed his vehicle in to a tree while playing. -WHEC
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How Pokémon GO players are getting injured

Here are a few ways trainers (players) are putting themselves and others in danger:

• Playing while driving – this is obviously a problem as distracted drivers can hurt themselves, others, or both.
• Drivers stopping at Pokéstops – Some drivers stop in the street where traffic needs to flow smoothly. They do this in real locations to catch virtual creatures called Pokémon.
• Playing while crossing the street – Players staring at their phone and not looking up while walking in to road

The app makes it clear when loading it and turning it on that users should play safe:

Distracted drivers who cause injuries can always be held liable. In other words, it isn’t necessarily the tempting Pokémon Go app but the Pokémon Go users. Drivers are increasingly distracted by apps regardless of app type; the app could be Snapchat, Instagram, Waze or Pokémon Go.