Gotta catch ‘em all? Hollywood condo sues Pokémon Go creator over unwanted crowds

The Villas at Positano (Inset: Pikachu and a Pokéball)
The Villas at Positano (Inset: Pikachu and a Pokéball)

Game developer Niantic got more than it bargained for when it launched the hit “Pokémon Go” iPhone game this year that sent kids and adults alike scrambling around town to catch ‘em all.

Several property owners across the U.S. have sued over the game’s knack for creating crowds, and now a Hollywood condominium association has reportedly joined the legal battle against the company.

The suit centers around one of Pokémon Go’s main features: Pokéstops. The game sets landmarks near existing buildings that players, using their phone’s GPS, can walk to and receive rewards.

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According to a report from Law.com, the condo association for the Villas at Positano, at 3501 North Ocean Boulevard, recently filed suit against the game’s creator because the 62-unit building was listed as a Pokéstop. The suit alleges that led hordes of zombie-like players to the Villas as they try to nab rare, elusive Pokémon.

And since there aren’t public bathrooms nearby, the suit claims, some players have elected to use the building’s nearby landscaping for relief, according to Law.com. The association is now seeking damages.

The suit, filed by law firm Pomerantz, also names Nintendo and the Pokémon Co., which it said have financial stakes in the game. The firm also represented two separate homeowners in New Jersey and Michigan who launched similar suits earlier this year. [Law.com]Sean Stewart-Muniz