The very real dangers of playingPokemon GOhave been a talking point for Niantic’s killer app since it was released just over a year ago. Ever sincePokemon GOplayers were shotat by someone for trespassing, news stories emerging over the potential physical dangers that the game poses have become something of a staple for local news outlets.
While many of the stories regarding the hazards present in playingPokemon GOare ones that could be avoided with some common sense, however, it appears thelatest update Niantichas rolled out for the game might be a problem. The local fire department in Hillsboro, Oregon identified a major issue with the wayPokemon GOgenerates Pokestop locations now - the update had created a fire station as a hotspot, creating crowds around the location.
While the message being spread from Hillsboro Fire seems to be one of general safety and bemusement, the fact that the Ronler Hills Fire Station became a Pokestop is something of a concern. Large crowds assembling at these locations could delay emergency service response times, and players were already gathering in a busy parking lot with little concern for the vehicles leaving or entering.
Of course, once more, the general takeaway from these kinds of warnings are thatPokemon GOplayers need only exercise a little more common sense in busy locations. Given the frequency with which this warning has been repeated by local government officials of various locations, however, it would seem that it has yet to fully be embraced by the game’s playerbase.
Pokemon GO’s raids are becoming huge, so the warning from Hillsboro Fire is a useful one that bears the many repetitions it has already seen - players should always remain aware of their surroundings while enjoying Niantic’s popular app, at least until the develop has worked out the many bugs that still seem to create these situations on a frequent basis.
