pokemon go

Pokémon Go Sparks $5 Million Class-Action Lawsuit

Pokemon GO Fans Converge At Sydney Opera House
Photo: Brendon Thorne/2016 Getty Images

Pokémon Go has gotten a lot of attention, or rather, taken over the world, ever since it launched a few weeks ago. The game was downloaded by millions of people, and while it has caused players to get robbed and lose their jobs, now it may have gone too far. In New Jersey, so many people started showing up at Jeffrey Marder’s house to hunt pokémon that he is suing the makers of the game for creating a nuisance and unjustly using his backyard as a virtual home for the game’s creatures. According to the lawsuit, Marder filed against the game’s developer, San Francisco–based Niantic Inc.:

In the days following the U.S. release of Pokémon Go, Plaintiff became aware that strangers were gathering outside of his home, holding up their mobile phones as if they were taking pictures. At least five individuals knocked on Plaintiff’s door, informed Plaintiff that there was a Pokémon in his backyard, and asked for access to Plaintiff’s backyard in order to “catch” the Pokémon.

Marder is seeking damages or disgorgement of the Pokémon Go profits, and hopes to prevent in-game GPS tags from being placed on private property without permission.

Pokémon Go Sparks $5 M Class-Action Lawsuit