Players were discovering this site, known as "PokéStop" or "Sundrum," where they could catch virtual Pokémon using their phones. The site's similarity to Little St. James Island, which was purchased by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 1998, sparked widespread outrage online, prompting Niantic to remove it this week.
Launched in 2016, Pokémon GO is a free-to-play augmented reality game where players use GPS and their phone's camera to collect virtual Pokémon while exploring the real world, similar to the original game on Nintendo's Game Boy. The game boasts a player base of over 27 million monthly active users, including children, teenagers, and a significant portion of young adults.
Pokémon GO team removes PokéStop that appeared on Epstein Island
The location, labeled “Sun Dial,” was added through the Ingress Wayfarer system between 2020 and 2021 and appeared in Pokémon GO.
In a statement, Niantic, the $9 billion company, said it removed "PokéStop" because it violated the game's rules, which require Pokémon GO locations to be pedestrian-friendly. Since the island is only accessible by boat or plane, walking is not possible, making the location unsuitable for the game.
Reports indicate that images posted on social media by a Pokémon GO player on February 7 received over 1.9 million views, and some have claimed that the "PokéStop" was added to the game in April 2021, two years after Epstein's death in August 2019, when he committed suicide in his jail cell following his arrest on federal charges related to child sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit the crime of trafficking.
Despite Epstein's death, recently released files and emails reveal that he had been talking about the game before his arrest, encouraging some of his acquaintances to try it, and even discussing ideas for creating an augmented reality app similar to Pokémon GO.
Conspiracy theorists have been circulating online claiming that Epstein may have used the game to lure minors to the island, and that the app's data could reveal the identities of those who visited the site. One person wrote on X.co.uk: "This also means that Pokémon GO has records of who was on the island." Another asked: "Why didn't the developers address this issue earlier? And why did they have to remove it after pressure from players despite knowing about the Epstein case?"
Niantic allows players to nominate real-world landmarks such as statues, murals, and unique buildings to become Pokémon Stations using the Wayfarer tool. Players are required to take clear photos of the location, name it, write a brief description, and prove it is safe and accessible to the public. Nominations are then reviewed by anonymous players, and if a majority approve, the station is added to the game.
Once "PokéStop" was activated on Epstein Island, players could obtain free in-game items simply by visiting the site. Some players resorted to GPS spoofing to access the island without actually traveling, a practice that Niantic attempted to monitor and ban offenders for.
After the February 7 post went viral, the site was eventually removed from the game.
