A trainer has an insane plan for a new PokéStop in Pokémon GO, which he proudly presents to the community. However, contrary to expectations, he faces considerable backlash from his fellow players for the idea. We at MeinMMO will show you what happened.
What are PokéStops? Unlike other games, Pokémon GO is particularly designed for players to go outside, meet like-minded individuals, and explore the surroundings together. For this reason, one can encounter not only the little pocket monsters in the wild but also discover interesting locations.
These are marked by so-called PokéStops and gyms in the game and can be spotted from a distance. Special spawns and items that players can secure from the respective photo discs are meant to create an incentive for the community to learn more about a particular region and visit the corresponding sites.
With the help of the Niantic platform “Wayfarer”, trainers can help establish such new PokéStops and submit their suggestions. The reddit user gogogoff0 also wanted to create new stops in his city and pulled all the strings to achieve his goal. What his insane idea is and why it doesn’t sit well with other players, we have summarized for you below.
What is this insane plan?
What happened? As the reddit user gogogoff0 mentions in his post, he aimed to establish new PokéStops in his city. He began submitting corresponding proposals in July, which were approved by the Wayfarer community. However, they simply did not appear in the game.
For this reason, he followed up on it and discovered that the local cemetery, just like the PokéStops within it, was equipped with a so-called “geo-block”. This means that these contents have been blocked by the local authorities and thus cannot be displayed in the game.
What happened next? However, gogogoff0 was not willing to give up his goal of new PokéStops so easily and therefore contacted a local council member. He explained to them that he had found “amazing memorials for veterans and famous people, historical plaques, and a large part of the city’s history” in the cemetery, which he would like to make accessible to other young people through Pokémon GO (via reddit.com).
As he further writes in his post, a meeting with the mayor and the local parks and recreation director is now in the works. During this meeting, they want to discuss Pokémon GO and the blockage in the game together to look for solutions. He writes:
So yes, tomorrow I will meet with my city representatives to talk about Pokémon GO… This is pretty much the craziest thing I’ve ever done for this game.
gogogoff0 (via reddit.com)
Wish me luck! I think my best weapon will be the fact that they could request that the cemetery be closed on Saturday morning (when most burials take place). Any suggestions for discussion topics would be appreciated.
Instead of praise, there is a wave of backlash from the community
Although gogogoff0 probably expected mostly positive reactions for stepping up for the local community and pulling all the strings to finally get PokéStops that tell the city’s history, he is facing criticism. In the comments, you can read the following:
- kooboomz: “Does the cemetery belong to the city and is it maintained by them? If not, there’s no chance they will be approved. At the cemetery in my city, every single PokéStop and gym was removed because families literally parked on graves and left trash everywhere. It even made the news. If they are added, please be as discreet as possible and encourage your local players to do the same. If there’s a funeral or someone visiting a grave, just leave. A raid or a rare spawn is not worth this disrespect.”
- NorthSouthDoll: “Have you ever considered why someone would want to geo-block a cemetery?”
- gissycat: “I’m not a big fan of the cemetery idea. Especially for the people whose family members are buried there. Outside the cemetery or even at the entrance sign? Okay. But inside, where people are grieving and thinking of their loved ones… It just seems wrong to catch Pokémon there.”
- SimpleINFP: “Sorry, but I agree with the city in this case. I find it somewhat disrespectful to the people there and their families. Moreover, it goes against Niantic’s values. PokéStops should be a place to meet, talk, explore, and play together, and the cemetery should remain a quiet place. One can enjoy the heritage at X other locations.
In our city, there is a gym called “Cross for a Dead Child.” This is a cross that was erected after a child died in a car accident. I also find that disrespectful.”
- ForeverBackground737: “Playing at a cemetery is quite disrespectful. It is not a place to casually stroll around and play Pokémon. The last thing a cemetery needs is a bunch of kids disturbing the peace of the mourners.”
Why are trainers criticizing him so harshly for the idea?
Inappropriate location: Many consider a cemetery not a suitable place for PokéStops or gyms. It should primarily give people the opportunity to remember their deceased loved ones in peace.
Pokémon GO players could disturb grieving individuals. Additionally, many in the community have concerns about the behavior of some trainers. For example, graves could be stepped on or the resting place could be desecrated and littered.
Therefore, the idea is seen as disrespectful by some players, and they believe it is right that the city imposed a ban for this area.
Guidelines from Niantic: Niantic itself is also skeptical about PokéStops on cemeteries. In their guidelines for submitting new PokéStops, they describe places of mourning and cemeteries, with the exception of graves of significant or historical individuals, as not permissible (via wayfarer.nianticlabs.com).
In the past, there have been recurring issues with players who did not behave respectfully at such memorial sites. For this reason, in 2016, the Auschwitz Memorial also requested respect and removal from the game.
Positive opinions about the cemetery idea
Even though the majority of trainers believe that a cemetery is not an appropriate place for a PokéStop, there are still a few favorable comments. For there are also players who are convinced that it is important to make memorials or commemorative stones accessible to the public and view it as a good opportunity (via reddit.com):
- KingKurto_: “I am surprised that many comments are negative. I think it’s a great idea. Especially since, as you mentioned, it would encourage people to visit the site and engage with the history of your city. Memorials are there for people to enjoy. It’s a shame when nobody can appreciate them. Even a little extra visitor traffic would be beneficial for everyone. I wish you good luck.”
- blackjackgabbiani: “I wonder why so many people insist that this is disrespectful. Surely it depends on the individual wishes of the person, and since it is impossible to ask them, it seems strange to decide for them. There was even a family that fought for their son’s grave to be designated as a PokéStop because he was a big Pokémon fan. His gravestone even has Pikachu on it. They found it disrespectful when the stop was removed.”
However, it is still unclear what will happen with the PokéStop at the cemetery. Should the city resist, the reddit user Upstairs_Inspection1 has an alternative idea (via reddit.com): “There is a much better solution than the cemetery. The city should create a series of murals. It could be any kind of mural, like an abstract object or even a historical/Pokémon theme. Take a picture of it and make a PokéStop out of it.”
What is your opinion on gogogoff0’s plan? Do you also find it disrespectful to apply for new PokéStops in cemeteries? Or do you think it is not a problem at all if Pokémon could also be caught in such a resting place? Feel free to let us know here at MeinMMO in the comments and discuss with other trainers.
Are you looking to become active and bring new stops into the game? The YouTuber ChaosLady revealed in an interview what you need to consider when applying for new PokéStops.
