‘Pokemon Go' Developer Settling Lawsuit for $1.58M: Report

An official settlement website will reportedly be set up in late May

Niantic, the developer behind augmented reality game “Pokemon Go,” has reached a settlement in a lawsuit filed after the company hosted an ill-fated festival in Chicago's Grant Park last summer, startup and technology news site TechCrunch reported Friday

The developer will reportedly pay out $1.58 million to claimants who took part in the "Pokemon Go" Fest, which saw about 20,000 people flock to Grant Park in July for the popular game’s first official live event.

Patchy phone service, long lines and glitches frustrated many of the attendees, prompting Niantic to offer refunds of the $20 ticket cost and $100 worth of in-game credit. However, impacted players, many from out of town, filed a class action lawsuit in Cook County later that month to try to recoup travel and hotel expenses. 

An official settlement website will be set up by May 25 where players can claim costs for hotels, airfare, parking, car rental, mileage and tolls, according to TechCrunch. Any claim larger than $107 will reportedly require receipts and claimants will also need to have checked into the festival through the game app.

TechCrunch reported that any remaining money from the settlement will be donated to the Illinois Bar foundation and local nonprofit Chicago Run, which aims to fight childhood obesity.

“Pokemon Go” was an instant pop culture phenomenon upon its summer 2016 release, especially for millennials who grew up with the original “Pokemon” show and card game in the 1990s. But a flurry of bugs, lawsuits and distracted driving put a damper on the excitement. 

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