Pokemon GO and the danger zone

People use their mobile phones to play Nintendo’s Pokemon Go game in front of a McDonald’s restaurant at Akihabara shopping district in Tokyo July 22, 2016. The National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity has released some public safety tips on the back of a number of incidents that have affected players in other countries. They are: 1. Protect personal information, 2. Another concern is the proliferation of fake apps, with some found to include malware. Beware of heatstroke, 5. Number 5 warns players to bring extra batteries, as Global Positioning System will eat up the phone’s supply. Have an additional method of contact, 7. Avoid risky areas where accidents and crimes can take place.

Drivers playing the game have already caused accidents, while people all over the world have trespassed private property in their hunt for collectibles.

“Well I suppose using the smartphone while walking is unsafe, and small kids could be taken away by suspicious people, but I think it’s alright as long as each individual stays careful”, said Mori, a Pokemon fan since he was 6-years old.

Download the game’s app only from legitimate distribution channels.

Nintendo is feeling a little better following Friday’s release of Pokemon Go in Japan.

Japanese officials issued warnings for the gamers ahead of the release including asking them to use unique names and to stay away from “dangerous zones” while playing, according to the Japan Times. You know, in case you’re so absorbed in your quest that you fail to notice a tsunami coming your way, as depicted in the drawing of a person dragging a player from fierce waves.

In a video address to Japanese fans, Junichi Masuda, head of development at Game Freak and co-creator of the game, apologized for keeping players waiting so long. Consume drinks that contain salt and frequently take a rest in the shade. Drinking water only is not sufficient.

But the game has also prompted warnings, as players glued to their phones become prone to tripping over, crashing cars, getting mugged or wandering into risky places. The government also warns players to be careful overseas – its flier features a cartoon of two pistol-wielding men in cowboy gear to emphasize the point.

Avoid meeting with strangers. A Niantic spokesman said Hanke was too busy working on “Pokemon Go” to comment for this story.