Niantic pays $1.6 million settlement over failed Pokemon Go event

0 DAVID GODSTIME April 03, 2018

Enlarge / Attendees can get reimbursed for travel and other associated costs.

Niantic will pay nearly $1.6 million to settle a class-action lawsuit surrounding a disastrous Chicago anniversary event that left roughly 20,000 attendees without access to the game they had come to play. That's according to TechCrunch, which has viewed documents filed in Cook County Circuit Court outlining a settlement website set to go up May 25.

While Niantic initially blamed congested data networks for many the problems players encountered at Grant Park's "Pokemon Go Fest" last July, the company quickly refunded tickets to the event and gave out in-game currency as an apology. The $1.575 million settlement proposal would reportedly cover additional accrued travel costs such as "airfare, hotel costs, up to two days of parking fees, car rental, mileage and tolls," according to TechCrunch. Claimants will have to prove that they checked in to the event through the Pokemon Go app and provides receipts for expenses over $107.

Following the Chicago event's failure, Niantic cancelled plans for a similar European tour, saying it wanted to "guarantee the best possible gameplay" for attendees. The company has since rolled out regular, smaller "Community Day" events encouraging players to gather in specific locations around the world for special in-game rewards and bonuses.

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