The Pokemon series has had its fair share of controversies over the years, including several instances that have resulted in episodes of the Pokemon anime being banned entirely. Perhaps the most troubling, however, revolved around an episode of the Pokemon anime which aired in Japan back in December of 1997. "Dennō Senshi Porygon" is reported to have led to the hospitalization of 685 children after flashing lights in the episode triggered seizures in kids right across the country. Now, almost a quarter of a century later, something similar appears to be happening with Pokemon GO.
The latest optional update for the game went live for iOS and Android users on June 11. Though there are a few other tweaks here and there, the primary purpose of the update is to improve the raids in Pokemon GO, with changes made to gameplay, visuals and the way that raid achievements are implemented. Unfortunately, however, there are now reports that the update is having some unforeseen and potentially life-threatening side effects on some of those who have already installed it.
Reddit user SuddenHelicopter6604 took to the site earlier today to warn other players that they had experienced the early warning signs of a seizure while playing the latest version of Pokemon GO (version 0.211.0 on Android or version 1.177.0 on iOS). The trigger appears to be a bright flash of light which occurs momentarily between the player tapping on a Pokemon on their screens and the Pokemon actually loading in. It only lasts for a fraction of a second, but this is apparently all that it takes to bring about the early stages of a seizure in some players.
Many others have replied to the thread to confirm that they too have been noticing this bright flash since updating to the latest version of Pokemon GO. Several of those who responded revealed that they suffered from epilepsy and that they had also been feeling sick after playing, particularly at night or in darker environments. Even those who are not affected by the issue seem to recognize how serious it is though, but as of the time of writing, Niantic is yet to address it.
Thankfully, the latest update is not yet being forced on players, meaning that it's still possible to play the previous version of Pokemon GO (0.209.0 on Android or 1.175.0 on iOS) for the time being. With that in mind, those who are yet to update the game would perhaps be best to avoid doing so until the issue has been resolved, particularly if they have a history of epilepsy or seizures. Some may even decide to avoid the game entirely just in case.
Pokemon GO is available on Android and iOS.