Pokémon GO: Niantic, Nintendo, And The Pokémon Company Face Lawsuit Over Trespassing

The makers of popular location-based augmented reality game, "Pokémon GO," are facing a lawsuit over players trespassing on private property. The first suit against game makers Niantic, Nintendo, and The Pokémon Company, was filed by U.S. citizen Jeffrey Marder after strangers lingered outside his house.

The lawsuit, which reportedly seeks class action status for others who have had Pokemon stops and gyms placed on their property, stated that at least five individuals knocked on Marder's door and asked for access in order to "catch" a Pokémon that the game had placed at Marder’s residence in West Orange, New Jersey — without his permission.

"Defendants have shown a flagrant disregard for the foreseeable consequences of populating the real world with virtual Pokémon without seeking the permission of property owners," the lawsuit filed by Marder's attorney Jennifer Pafiti reads.

The game, which released on July 6 in the U.S. and later spread to Europe and other parts, has become a global phenomenon. Some countries, including Brazil and India, are still waiting for the game's official launch.

The lawsuit filed by Marder also mentions several other homeowners, movie theaters and even historical landmarks, expressing concerns over their sites being tagged by Niantic as "Pokestops" or " Pokémon Gyms."

While the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has asked people not to play "Pokémon GO" on their phones during their visit, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Japan has asked its location be removed from the game.

The former concentration camp of Auschwitz, where millions of people were killed by the Nazis, has also banned the game.