Did ‘Pokémon Go’ remove PokéStops because neighbors complained?

Pokémon Go players in Sydney, Australia, may have three less PokéStops from which to get their Poké Balls, Razz Berries and potions.

The western suburb of Rhodes had been inundated with avid Pokémon Go fans since the game launched in July, leading residents to complain about crowds, rubbish and noise. In response, the local Canada Bay council began a campaign to have its PokéStops removed, and it appears to have emerged victorious from this particular battle.

According to Fairfax Media, three intersecting Poké Stops placed in Peg Paterson Park — which reportedly had been responsible for attracting hordes of Pokémon Go players — simply vanished sometime on Monday. 

Whether this is thanks to the recent game update or a separate change by the game developer Niantic is unclear. 

The council had submitted requests to Niantic to have the PokéStops removed, and encouraged residents to do the same. "The recent phenomenon of Pokémon Go has seen unprecedented numbers of people flocking to Rhodes," Deputy Mayor Helen McCaffrey said in an August newsletter. 

"I would like to thank residents, building managers and businesses for their support and patience as we all try to find an appropriate solution to the ongoing issues of noise, traffic and rubbish, as a result of the game's popularity."

Irate residents had posted pictures of trampled grass and rubbish on the council's Facebook page, ostensibly left behind by gamers. Others shared videos of crowds of people spilling off the footpath and cars circling the neighbourhood as they hunted Pokémon.

"Walking the dog at night suddenly feels like I'm in an ep of Dr Who or Torchwood or the walking dead or some post apocalyptic zombie phone reality where ‪#‎pokémongoaddicts‬ have taken over the kids park and cross roads without looking for cars," another posted.

The PokéStops and Gyms in Pokémon Go were chosen from a data set created by the players of Niantic's previous augmented reality game, Ingress. For the most part, public artworks, historical sites, and unique buildings and local businesses were chosen, Niantic CEO John Hanke told Mashable Australia when the game launched.

Hanke also said the game aimed to keep people safe while getting them out of the house and interacting with the real world. "We're trying to strike a good balance," he said.

Hopefully Niantic will reveal how it decides which PokéStops to remove. There may be some cemeteries and memorials that would like to know.