The phenomenon Pokémon GO is taking over the world, but there are limits.
The smartphone game Pokémon GO sends players into the real world to hunt for the little pocket monsters, but one encounters limits of good taste. A report from New York Magazine’s “Yes, you can catch Pokémon at Auschwitz” (Yes, you can catch Pokémon in Auschwitz) caused some outrage.
Going Poké-hunting at one of the places where the Nazis carried out the systematic extermination of the Jews… No. The operators of the memorial site demanded in a now-deleted tweet that the developers prevent playing at such locations. It is disrespectful.
The Holocaust Museum wants visitors to please stop playing Pokémon Go there https://t.co/RttNej8s9B pic.twitter.com/2R5PqJZc4o
— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) July 12, 2016
In the meantime, it seems that the conversation has moved from Twitter to official channels. It is said that they have been in contact with Niantic Labs. Specific details from the talks between the memorial site and the video game developer are not available.
In addition to the Polish Auschwitz, German foundations responsible for places like Dachau have also reached out to the developer to be spared from the Pokémon hype. It is technically possible, they say in a statement from the foundation. And it is urgently necessary for reasons of decency.
Wow, I just caught a Koffing at the Auschwitz Pokestop! #PokemonGo pic.twitter.com/YNng18OlEf
— entropy disliker (@mylittlepwnies3) July 12, 2016
Mein MMO says: Especially images showing a Smogon Pokémon at memorial sites make such an approach necessary. There can be excellent debates about good taste. But when the operators of these memorial sites say: We don’t want this. We find it inappropriate, it is important to respect that. It is understandable in any case.
With some things, one simply cannot and should not deal with them in a “relaxed and playful” manner.
