HIGHLIGHTS

  •  PokeStops in Pokemon GO are real-world locations where players can get useful items and encounter wild Pokemon.
  •  A player found a PokeStop in a playground with a bizarre description that raised questions about Niantic’s approval process.
  •  If Pokemon GO players come across inappropriate PokeStops or Gyms, they can contact Niantic for removal or modification
 

Pokemon GO player has found a PokeStop with a terrible description. In Pokemon games, players obtain items as they explore the game map. The same happens in Pokemon GO but in a way adapted for the real world.

PokeStops are one of the most recognizable elements of Pokemon GOPokemon GO players find PokeStops in real-world locations that encourage exploration and social interactions, such as monuments, parks, churches, and businesses. To interact with a PokeStop, the Pokemon GO player only has to spin their Photo Disc and get useful items, such as Pokemon Eggs, Pokeballs, and Field Research tasks. It is also common for wild Pokemon to appear around a PokeStop, which players can attract by using a Lure Module. Pokemon GO also has Gold PokeStops, a different PokeStop type where players can get Mystery Coins and additional items by spinning the Photo Disc.

Reddit user linkwende found a PokeStop in a playground with a very unexpected description. The image shows a PokeStop called “timberwolf playground,” a common place for children to have fun outdoors, described as a place for “human maggot worm babies to learn to interact with other brood.” With the caption “How was this even approved?” the player questioned how Niantic let the description of this PokeStop pass. Although it’s a notable case, it’s not uncommon for Pokemon GO players to find weird PokeStops. While some PokeStops draw attention for their dubious description, others catch players’ attention for their location, ranging from mailboxes to cemeteries and nightclubs.


Getting a PokeStop approved isn’t an easy task since it requires meeting a series of criteria, like the relevance of the location. In the player’s post, many Pokemon GO players expressed their frustration because while there is a PokeStop like this, their PokeStop submissions got rejected. Another comment even revealed that there is a PokeStop in Barcelona whose name is an offense in Spanish. If a Pokemon GO player finds an inappropriate Gym or PokeStop for any reason, they can contact Niantic. If the request is considered legitimate, Pokemon GO can remove a PokeStop or modify it, as it can with Gyms.

Over the years, PokeStops have become even more important for Pokemon GO. In addition to regular PokeStops and Gold PokeStops, Pokemon GO has Powered Up PokeStops. This year Niantic introduced PokeStop Showcases, a new way for players to interact with PokeStops. There’s no telling whether the PokeStop found by linkwende will be taken down or modified, but it joins the long list of PokeStops that have gained the spotlight for questionable reasons.

Pokemon GO is available now for Android and iOS.