And in case this doesn’t seem like a problem yet, it has led to accidents and deaths. Researchers pouring over news reports from July found 14 unique car crashes attributed to Pokemon GO sessions. More recently, a woman in Japan was killed by a driver playing behind the wheel. While these numbers have likely gone down as Pokemon GO players leave the game, it’s still a concerning phenomenon. Think of how many developers are rushing to produce the next hit mobile AR game after looking at Nintendo’s success.
“Making the game inaccessible for a period after any driving speed has been achieved may be necessary given our observations that players are driving or riding in cars,” the study’s authors write. “At the same time augmented reality games might be disabled near roadways or parking lots to protect pedestrians and drivers alike, given reports of distractions herein. Games might also include clear warnings about driving and pedestrian safety.”
Niantic has already added some warnings to Pokemon GO via updates, but considering the problem still exists, we might need alternative solutions moving forward.