Pokemon GO! annoyed thousands of residents when it turned some beloved local monuments into Pokestops and gyms, leading hordes of fans to frequent some less-than-convenient places to get the most out of their game.
If you live in a smaller town however, you might not have been privvy to this (hilarious) era in Pokemon GO!’s history, as Pokestops in smaller locations are generally few and far between.
All that’s about to change though, as Niantic has launched a beta that will allow you to nominate sites in your area to be converted into Pokestops and even gyms – hooray!
Right now the beta is strictly limited to Brazil and South Korea, but it’s expected to launch worldwide if successful.
Along with the country restrictions you can only take part in the beta if you are at least a level 40 in the game.
Niantic has stated that players “will be able to nominate potential PokéStops by submitting photographs and descriptions of the locations,” which will then be reviewed and potentially accepted.
As for the changes coming into place worldwide, the Pokemon GO! website confirms: “This feature is currently in beta.
“We are gradually rolling out nomination access to more Trainers and countries in the upcoming months.”
[wpna hide=’wp’]Want to see more from GameByte then swipe to the left![/wpna]
Sounds hopeful for the rest of the GO! community.
As for the rules and regulations for what can and can’t be a Pokestop/gym, Niantic states that locations with a “cool story, a place in history or educational value,” as well as statues, parks, libraries and places of worship.
What won’t be allowed is pretty much what you’d expect…no adult entertainment stores, no private homes and nowhere that sells firearms.
Check out the full list of acceptable locations here.
Are you excited to add your own Pokestops and gyms into your area, or will you be giving this a miss when it comes to your country?