Pokémon Go Causes Death

On August 24, 2016, the first Pokémon Go related death in Asia took place in Tokushima, Japan.

According to reports, 39-year old farmer Keiji Gooh was playing the augmented reality game while driving on the evening of August 23 and accidentally hit 2 female pedestrians – a 72-year old and a 60-year old. This first one died the following day, while the latter was seriously injured.

Japan’s Jiji Press reported this as the nation's first fatal accident involving a driver playing Pokémon Go while at the wheel. They further revealed that an estimated 80 accidents in Japan have already transpired involving modes of transportation since the app was introduced in the country last month.

As mentioned, this is not the first accident caused by Pokémon Go. In fact, since its launch in July, there have been numerous and continuous reports of traffic violations, violence, crime, and deaths linked to the game all over the globe. Since the gamers are distracted, they somehow leave the real world which makes them inattentive of what’s actually going on around them.

Regardless of the many incidents concerning Pokémon Go, Niantic, the app’s developer, absolved itself from all the possible liabilities through a disclaimer in the app’s terms and conditions. There is also a warning from Niantic that pops up every time the app is opened, reminding the players to always be aware of their surroundings.

While controversies about Pokémon Go continue to surface, authorities worldwide are making vigorous efforts to ensure the safety of the gamers like banning the said game in schools, churches, and other public places. However, Niantic should also address these issues themselves if they want to prolong the game’s success. In reality, there are a couple of positive influences that the game should try to emphasize such as people going outdoors as well as fitness and health.