the game's map software identifies the UN Buffer Zone as a military area

January 25, 2023 8:00 AM

The history of Cyprus is a problem in Pokémon Go [Eurogamer] “Pokémon are banned across a sizable swathe of Cyprus. There isn't a physical wall to keep them out - at least not in most areas. But in Pokémon Go a large area across the width of the Mediterranean island is still a Pokémon no-Go area, thanks to the country's past. Before being contacted by Pokémon Go players based in Cyprus, I admit to being pretty ignorant of the island's recent history, and how its geography remains shaped by the after-effects of the country's 1974 Greek-backed coup and subsequent Turkish-led invasion. History lesson aside, the country remains divided by a United Nations Buffer Zone, a red ribbon on maps that cuts across the middle of the country. The internationally unrecognised Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus lies to the north, while in the south sits the island's larger Greek Cypriot-dominated region. Between the two sits the Buffer Zone - an area which on paper sounds like a hazard, but in reality is home to 10,000 people - where Pokémon cannot spawn naturally.”
posted by Fizz (11 comments total)

I admit to being pretty ignorant of the island's recent history

Heh. Don't know if I'd call it "recent" since the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) mission, which enforces the buffer zone, has been going since 1964.

Falas has been helped by recent additions to Pokémon Go such as its community-run Wayfarer system, which allows players to nominate and vote on local points of interest to become part of the game.

I've never played Pokémon Go, but I'd imagine the very derelict Nicosia International Airport would be a pretty baller location for stuff.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 9:09 AM on January 25, 2023 [1 favorite]

It appears from the article that this is because the buffer zone is classified as a military zone by mapping software and pokemon do not spawn in such zones.
posted by lookoutbelow at 10:04 AM on January 25, 2023 [2 favorites]

There are actually four political entities, the British never left and still have two military bases there.
posted by Meatbomb at 10:08 AM on January 25, 2023 [1 favorite]

Looks like they're relying on OpenStreetMap data, which is prone to mistagging as the previous article pointed out. Here's the buffer zone entity in OSM.

What if someone made a high-stakes AR game that only spawned in areas tagged with "military=danger_area"? I feel like this could at least be a VICE series.
posted by credulous at 10:31 AM on January 25, 2023 [6 favorites]

What if someone made a high-stakes AR game that only spawned in areas tagged with "military=danger_area"? I feel like this could at least be a VICE series.

Do you want Black Mirror in your reality (or at least more Black Mirror than it already is) b/c thats whats going to happen and its going to be bad time.
posted by Fizz at 10:37 AM on January 25, 2023 [3 favorites]

What if someone made a high-stakes AR game that only spawned in areas tagged with "military=danger_area"? I feel like this could at least be a VICE series.

Dormant Mine Go
posted by cortex at 11:19 AM on January 25, 2023 [2 favorites]

I complain that I have to walk a couple of hundred metres to get to the closest gym (a stop recently popped up on the way to my kids' bus stop so I get to walk by that at least) but this sounds like it would make the game pretty much unplayable for the people that live their. Hopefully someone at Niantic will see the article and they can make some exception on their end.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 11:30 AM on January 25, 2023

where Pokémon cannot spawn naturally

....

I get what this sentence is saying (I think), but it's still hilarious to me.
posted by Not A Thing at 11:49 AM on January 25, 2023 [8 favorites]

→ Looks like they're relying on OpenStreetMap data, which is prone to mistagging

Commercial entity depends on open data, complains when it's not perfect. News at 11

The Cyprus internal border was the source of the first real state-actor edit war on OSM. For a long time the border wasn't editable by regular users because of all the vandalism. You also have to remember that both Greece and Türkiye (official name since May 2022, please use it; recognized by the UN) have quite different ideas from you might have about what you can map and photograph. Pointing a camera at the wrong thing in either country can land you in jail, with little sympathy for "I didn't know".
posted by scruss at 12:50 PM on January 25, 2023 [2 favorites]

When Pokémon Go first started. Some private marinas near me had to put up more signs and barriers beacuse people were jumping fences and locked gates to get out onto private docks where water pokemons spawned.
posted by CostcoCultist at 1:03 PM on January 25, 2023 [1 favorite]

Mod note: A few deleted. Let's keep this thread on track, discuss the intended topic and drop the derail about the pronunciation/spelling of certain country names. No need to drop a rant here when it's not relevant to the thread.
posted by travelingthyme (staff) at 5:26 PM on January 25, 2023 [1 favorite]