Pokemon Go Facing Class-Action Lawsuit

Irritated by how Pokemon Go draws people to a park near their home, a metro Detroit couple has filed a class-action lawsuit against the creators of the massively popular mobile game.
The Detroit Free Press reports that the couple, Scott and Jayme Dodich of St. Clair Shores, sued developer Niantic, Nintendo, as well as partners The Pokemon Company in California federal court.
The Dodiches are suing to try to stop Niantic from putting Pokemon on or near private properties, unless they have an owner's blessing. Additionally, the lawsuit asks that a share of Pokemon Go's revenue be given to residents whose properties are claimed to have fueled the game's wild popularity.
In the lawsuit, it's stated that Pokemon Go had reached 30 million downloads and brought in more than $35 million. The actual numbers may be higher, however, as Niantic told the Los Angeles Times this month that the game has been downloaded close to 100 million times. Though official revenue figures have not been shared, a report claimed Pokemon Go brought in $200 million in its first month.

The Dodiches explain in the lawsuit that they are fed up with Pokemon Go players walking on their lawn, looking into their windows, and even swearing at them in some cases. They live across the street from Wahby Park, which is a Pokemon Go gym, while seven PokeStops are in the nearby area. "Hundreds" of people come by on any given day, the lawsuit says.
"Nobody gets sleep anymore," the lawsuit says. "How is this acceptable? ... They hang out on our lawns, trample landscaping, look in vehicles ... We don't feel safe ... I don't feel safe sitting on our porch."
"Defendants have shown a flagrant disregard for the foreseeable consequences of populating the real world with virtual Pokemon without seeking the permission of property owners," it goes on.
Niantic has not commented on the lawsuit as of yet. We have reached out to the company and will update this post with anything we hear back.
The Dodiches are not the first to speak out against Pokemon Go for encroaching on their personal property. A man in Massachusetts who lives in a converted church designated as a Pokemon Gym has lobbied Niantic to adjust the GPS coordinates, according to the Associated Press. Additionally, Pokemon used to show up at the Holocaust Museum and the Hiroshima bombing memorial before officials got in touch with Niantic to remedy the situation.
Niantic allows anyone to request an exclusion using this form, but there are no guarantees.
In other news about Pokemon Go, a glitch has been discovered that allows players to hold on to gyms indefinitely. Additionally, a mock-up trailer shows what a Harry Potter Go game might look like.

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