Home Gaming Dozens of Pokemon GO players have filed complaints with the FTC

Dozens of Pokemon GO players have filed complaints with the FTC

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Pokemon GO header

After months of playing, I think I’ve finally given up on Pokémon GO. Once I hit level 20, the grind became a little too steep for my liking. That, and the actual tracking of incubating eggs was absolute rubbish, and it pissed me off to no end. Wouldn’t you be mad too if you ran a half marathon (21km) one day, and only had around 12km worth of progress clocked?

Perhaps I should add my name to the list of 72 people who’ve filed complaints with the FTC (via Polygon). I don’t know how exactly I would word “you made me run so much for nothing you bastards” into a document, but I am sorely tempted nonetheless (or at least I would be, if I lived in the States).

My complaint seems very petty compared to the others though to be honest. One person for example, spent a casual $450 on the game (WOW), right before they got banned from playing it for using a third-party application for tracking.

“I had my account taken away from me without any warning or contact from Niantic. I have emailed them and sent in an appeal form against my ban. I would like to have all my money that I spent on their game refunded or my account returned to me so i can continue to play their game.”

I actually don’t know how this happened – Niantic went about unbanning a whole lot of Pokemon GO players around a month ago. The person above should’ve received a warning at the very least, but they claim that they didn’t.

Other complaints are a little more sound in my opinion. One for example reads as follows:

“We are a small hospital in Oregon and Nintendo Pokemon Go players are descending on our halls and asking to go into private areas to take pictures and get their game points. In the process, they may see our patients in rooms and halls. Our hospital works to carefully protect patient privacy and is in a dilemma, protect privacy versus public service. We ask that Nintendo NOT allow hospitals or clinics to listed as sites where anyone may locate a Pokemon target.”

That’s a request I can agree with wholeheartedly. Can you imagine being in a ward with some or other ailment, and there’s just a constant influx of people popping in and out to capture whatever happens to be sitting in your room at the time?

I do think Niantic need to be more proactive with their locations in this regard. Granted, sitting and nit-picking the entire planet for Pokémon spawn points, gyms, and pokestops is no small task, but they should take certain places (like hospitals, museums, and so on) into consideration.

Other complaints with the FTC address privacy, the safety of children, and more. I do think they’re sound, but I just can’t agree with people who want their money back. Surely Niantic owe them nothing for cheating? Unless of course, no warning was issued in the first place. Even that, though, I feel is a bit of moot point.

Last Updated: September 29, 2016

12 Comments

  1. Ottokie

    September 29, 2016 at 13:07

    I was off playing Pokemon Go in Umhlanga the whole of last week and the number of pokemon players have dwindled a lot. But I still noticed spoofers taking gyms even while I was sitting right there with not a soul around that looked like a player.

    Reply

  2. ??????? ????? ™

    September 29, 2016 at 13:13

    Stupid game

    Reply

  3. Raptor Rants

    September 29, 2016 at 15:40

    Fun fact. They use the Google API. Fun fact. They can specifically target locations that have hospitals. Fun fact. They don’t need to nitpick the planet then

    Reply

  4. Graham Brown

    September 29, 2016 at 19:10

    Such nonsense, really take it away from hospitals so people who are stuck in hospitals can’t play. I mean when I had cancer I wish I could of played it. Hackers deserve to be banned and they know hacking leads to being banned. So no refund.

    Reply

  5. Ange1K

    October 6, 2016 at 13:16

    The best part is that this game will go away soon. FGR statement https://www.futuregamereleases.com/pokemon-dont-get-heart-attack-from-the-next-viral-chapter/

    Reply

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