MOBILE, Ala. — If you’re trying to catch ’em all, you better stay away from one Alabama cemetery. Mobile Gardens has officially banned people from playing the popular game Pokémon Go on its property, citing the need for a cemetery to be a place of peaceful reflection.
Gardens President Timothy Claiborne told WKRG-TV that Pokémon Go players have been walking aimlessly around the cemetery and driving around its roads on a quest to catch the fictional creatures.
The prime concern for the grounds staff is keeping players away from funerals. In an effort to make their policy clear, management has placed signs around the grounds indicating that game-play is prohibited. Mobile Gardens has even asked the app developers to remove the location from their maps.
“We expect the same kind of decorum in the cemetery, which should only be for the families that choose to have their loved ones placed there,” Dick Pennington, Chairman of the Board at the Gardens, told WKRG.
Pokémon Go launched earlier this month and has taken the world by storm. Using new augmented reality technology, the game allows players to search for and capture Pokémon at various places. With millions of daily users, the app now experiences more traffic than heavy-hitters such as Tinder and Twitter.
Despite the enjoyment and nostalgia many users have experienced, some have expressed concerns of the dangers accompanying it. Police departments nationwide are issuing warnings calling for people to avoid “Pokémon Go and driving.” Other departments have warned of the potential for criminals to attract victims using in app tools.
Regardless, the latest gaming fad does not show signs of going anywhere in the near future with Nintendo’s competitors now looking into mobile Augmented reality games. For now, the animated battle-creatures are here to stay. Just make sure not to chase a Pikachu through Mobile Gardens.
