Niantic Labs has heard the complaints of Hiroshima officials when they appealed to have the atomic bomb memorial park free of any "Pokemon GO" creatures, to rid it of gamers who may disturb the site. As of Thursday, August 4, Niantic has removed the "Pokestops" and gyms in the area, although some creatures could still be seen there via the game.
According to the Associated Press, Hiroshima city official Tatsuya Sumida expressed his relief when Niantic responded to their request and removed the sites that attracted gamers just hours before they were to hold a memorial event in the area. He said, "We consider the park a sacred place where we pray for the victims of the atomic bombings."
Meanwhile, Gamespot reports that "Pokemon GO" creatures, gyms, and stops have also been removed from the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. Officials of the museum have reportedly been requesting the removal of the creatures or anything related to the game since it launched in July, citing that playing the game is "not appropriate in the museum, which is a memorial to the victims of Nazism."
One user had published a screenshot of the poison gas-spewing creature Koffing in the Holocaust Museum's Helena Rubinstein Auditorium, which seems like a joke made in bad taste, as it is where documentaries of Jews who survived gas chambers are shown. "Pokemon GO" continues to capture the minds of gamers around the world, as Niantic rolls out the game in Southeast Asia. But so far, no other major complaints have been heard from other memorial sites or shrines.
Meanwhile, Niantic is continuing to roll out updates for improved gameplay, while cutting off access from third party apps that may enable gamers to cheat. Visit back to catch the latest news on "Pokemon GO."
