Pokémon controversy: Difference between revisions

{{pkmn|Egg}}s in [[Pokémon GO]] have been accused of being {{wp|loot boxes}}, which is a form of gambling.<ref>https://screenrant.com/pokemon-go-eggs-loot-boxes-gambling-money-incubator/</ref>

The sudden enormous popularity of [[Pokémon GO]] resulted in many controversies worldwide. Numerous organizations and companies complained about the spawning of Pokémon at places such as Holocaust and 9/11 memorials,<ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/07/12/holocaust-museum-auschwitz-want-pokmon-go-hunts-stop-pokmon/86991810/ Holocaust Museum, Auschwitz want Pokémon Go hunts out]</ref><ref>[http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-07-12-holocaust-museum-pleads-stop-playing-pokemon-go-here Holocaust museum pleads: stop playing Pokémon Go here • Eurogamer.net]</ref> train rails,<ref>[http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/pokemon-go-dutch-rail-operator-tells-nintendo-change-game-after-players-wonder-onto-tracks-1570308 Pokemon Go players told to stay away from Amsterdam hospital and rail tracks]</ref> and while driving a car.<ref>[http://fortune.com/2016/09/18/pokemon-go-players-driving/ Tens of Thousands of People Are Driving While Playing Pokémon GO | Fortune]</ref> Several people worldwide have been killed or seriously injured in accidents related to playing the game.<ref>[http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-pokemon-go-encinitas-cliff-fall-2016jul13-story.html ‘Pokémon Go’ players fall off 90-foot ocean bluff — The San Diego Union-Tribune]</ref><ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3699722/Pokemon-sees-death-Teenager-18-killed-cousin-injured-playing-game-Guatamala.html Pokemon Go player killed in Guatemala and cousin injured while playing game | Daily Mail Online]</ref><ref>[https://www.theverge.com/2016/8/25/12637878/pokemon-go-driver-kills-woman-japan Driver distracted by Pokémon Go kills woman in Japan — The Verge]</ref>

In Russia, a 21-year-old video blogger received a suspended sentence for three and a half years in prison for charges of blasphemy after playing the game in a church.<ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/05/11/russian-blogger-ruslan-sokolovsky-convicted-playing-pokemon-go-church/101541958/ Pokemon Go: Russian blogger Ruslan Sokolovsky convicted]</ref> Like the Pokémon mania in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Pokémon GO caused strong reactions in the Islamic world, declaring fatwas against the game as it could lead to "haram" activities such as "gambling".<ref>[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/08/06/asia-pacific/malaysian-islamic-leaders-say-no-pokemon-go/#.WU6jV46GM2w Malaysian Islamic leaders say no to 'Pokemon Go' | The Japan Times] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20170803110904/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/08/06/asia-pacific/malaysian-islamic-leaders-say-no-pokemon-go/ archived copy])</ref><ref>[http://www.gadgetsnow.com/tech-news/Fatwa-against-Pokemon-Go-in-India/articleshow/53563918.cms Fatwa against Pokemon Go in India | Gadgets Now]</ref><ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/07/20/top-saudi-clerics-ban-pokemon-go/87330916/ Fatwa No. 21,758: Saudi clerics ban Pokemon Go]</ref> The game was banned in Iran over security concerns.<ref>[http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-36989526 Pokemon Go banned by Iranian authorities over 'security' — BBC News]</ref> In New York, registered sex offenders on parole were banned from playing Pokémon GO.<ref>[http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/08/02/488435018/new-york-bans-registered-sex-offenders-from-pok-mon-go New York Bans Registered Sex Offenders From Pokémon Go : All Tech Considered : NPR]</ref> In a Belgian town with 35 inhabitants, playing the game became forbidden at night because the small town was constantly flooded with players.<ref>[http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/4126/Games/article/detail/2888132/2016/09/26/De-Wever-verbiedt-nachtelijke-Pokemon-Go-in-Lillo.dhtml De Wever verbiedt nachtelijke Pokémon Go in Lillo | Nieuws | HLN]</ref>

During the {{wp|Electronic Entertainment Expo|E3}} 2019 Nintendo Treehouse live stream on June 11, 2019,<ref>[https://youtu.be/TmWu-f6L0Mo Nintendo Treehouse: Live | E3 2019] - Youtube</ref> [[Junichi Masuda]] stated that some species of {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} (455 in total across [[Generation]]s {{gen|I}} to {{gen|VII}}) could not be transferred to {{g|Sword and Shield}}. After a massive amount of backlash from Pokémon fans (most of which involving the {{wp|hashtag}} #BringBackNationalDex), [[The Pokémon Company International]] posted a statement from Masuda in response on [[Pokémon.com]] in Japanese and English on June 28, 2019.<ref>[https://www.pokemon.com/us/a-message-for-pokemon-video-game-fans/ A Message for Pokémon Video Game Fans] - Pokémon.com</ref> Despite this reiterated statement, the fan backlash on social media continued, with many fans requesting that compatibility for all Pokémon be included in a post-launch patch. When asked about the possibility of a patch, Masuda stated that he had not yet finalized a decision on such a patch. The controversy became somewhat mitigated when the Expansion Pass was announced for the games, which added 221 of the missing Pokémon back in.

This controversy is sometimes known as {{DL|Appendix:Fan terminology|Dexit}}, a portmanteau of [[Pokédex]] and {{wp|Brexit}}, which was the withdrawal of the {{wp|United Kingdom}} (the basis of [[Galar]], the setting of Sword and Shield) from the {{wp|European Union}}.

When [[Pokémon UNITE]] was first announced, it quickly attracted controversy due to it being developed by a subsidiary of {{wp|Tencent}}, which was controversial due to its ties to the Chinese government. It also brought up a controversy that had been steadily growing about the use of {{wp|microtransactions}} in Pokémon games. As a result of these controversies, the Pokémon UNITE reveal quickly became the most disliked video on [[The Pokémon Company]]'s {{wp|YouTube}} channel.<ref>Oloman, Jordan (June 25, 2020). "[https://www.ign.com/articles/pokemon-unite-trailer-most-disliked-video Pokemon Unite Reveal Becomes The Pokemon Company's Most Disliked Video on YouTube]." ''IGN''.</ref>

[[File:Palworld.png|250px|thumb|The v0.1.0.0 title screen of ''Palworld'']]

On January 19th, 2024, a game known as ''{{wp|Palworld}},'' developed by ''{{wp|Pocketpair}}'', was released on {{wp|Xbox Game Pass}} and {{wp|Steam}} to immense sales figures, with the Steam release alone selling over 8 million copies in less than six days,<ref name=PalworldSales>[https://archive.is/bIHxn ''Palworld'' tweet claiming ''Palworld'' has sold over 8 million copies in less than six days.]</ref> eclipsing the first-week sales of [[Pokémon Legends: Arceus]],<ref name=LASales>[https://archive.is/Pimvb Nintendo of America tweet claiming Pokémon Legends Arceus sold 6.5 million in its first week.]</ref> a title in the Pokémon series that was frequently compared to ''Palworld'' due to the similarity of being an open-ended monster catching game with a focus on action,<ref name=PalworldLA>Tweets of users comparing ''Palworld'' and Pokémon Legends: Arceus. [https://archive.is/A6xKm (1)] [https://archive.is/wip/NCtSG (2)]</ref> in addition to being the 2nd highest all-time peak in Steam history at 1.85 million concurrent players.<ref name=PalworldConcurrent>[https://archive.is/VvPcS ''Palworld'' stating that the game is the 2nd highest all-time peak in Steam history at 1.85 million concurrent players.]</ref>

In [[Pokémon Masters EX]], {{mas|Lenora}} is not depicted with an apron.

==Animal cruelty==

Upon the release of {{game|Black and White|s 2|Pokémon Black 2 and White 2}}, {{wp|People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals|PETA}} released a mock game named ''Pokémon Black and Blue''. In the game, the player controls the Pokémon to attack the opposing human. PETA claims that the way the Pokémon are "stuffed" into the [[Poké Ball]] is similar to how circus elephants are chained inside railroad carts. Nintendo responded to this by simply stating, "Nintendo and The Pokémon Company take the inappropriate use of our products and intellectual property seriously."<ref>[http://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/nintendo-responds-to-petas-pokemon-attack Nintendo responds to PETA’s Pokemon attack | canada.com] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20180911211240/https://o.canada.com/technology/gaming/nintendo-responds-to-petas-pokemon-attack archived copy] )</ref> Around the release of [[Pokémon X and Y]], PETA released another mock game called ''Pokémon Red, White, and Blue'' that features Nintendo's claimed association with {{wp|McDonald's}} and also makes fun of the frequent release of sister games.

==Religion==

A parents' group attempted to sue manufacturers of collectible cards, including Nintendo and Wizards of the Coast, claiming that the cards' collectible nature and the random distribution of the cards in packs constitutes illegal gambling.<ref>[http://www.theguardian.com/uk/1999/dec/29/2 Nintendo faces £60m writ from Uri Geller | UK news | The Guardian] ([https://archive.today/XkBzu archived copy])</ref>

==References==