The increasing cases of death and accidents related to "Pokemon Go" led Milwaukee authorities to implement an ordinance requiring Niantic to secure a permit to include certain landmarks and places in the game.
"Pokemon Go" has garnered the support of gamers around the world and the augmented-reality game's novelty is said to be one of the reasons why it was a breakthrough in 2016. Pokemon Go gave Clash Royale and Clash of Clans a run for their money.
There's a new hurdle for "Pokemon Go," though. According to reports, a Milwaukee ordinance now requires permits for Pokemon Go and other similar games. The players are no longer free to roam listlessly because some places are already restricted or need permits for players to use them as a digital playground.
The ordinance stemmed from an incident when a lot of gamers swarmed Lake Park. Some think the ordinance is unnecessary but others also agree that it should even be adapted around the world to ensure player safety. There were reported cases of players being robbed at gunpoint in Alabama, two men dying from falling off a cliff in California and a man dying from a truck collision in Japan.
Meanwhile, players are excited about a possible Valentine's Day update and in-game event. Pokemon Go did not hold an in-game event for the New Lunar Year and fans are now hoping that Niantic will release a Pokemon Go Valentine's Day update and in-game event soon.
According to reports, Niantic released new "Pokemon Go" updates for iOS and Android which were not major but rather small and significant nevertheless. The changes include reduced starting time, text fixes and resolution of connectivity-related issues with the "Pokemon Go" Plus accessory and iOS wheelchair support for Apple Watch.
Reports claim that a "Pokemon Go" event for Valentine's Day is possible, especially because a new batch of Gen 2 pocket monsters are about to come out. All code changes in APK updates seem to lead to the arrival of Gen 2 Pokemon. However, Niantic has not issued any announcement yet.
The Pokemon Company also quietly released a new mobile Pokemon game for both Android and iOS called Pokemon Duel where various Pokemon in what seems to be amiibo form, duke it out with the use of traditional turn-based mechanics. It came as a surprise to players but the game has already been rolled out in Japan in 2016 under a different name, Pokemon Comaster. The game developer did not explain the name change.