Pokemon GO Players Alter OpenStreetMap with Fake Beaches to Catch New Monsters

The dedication is real to some Pokemon GO players, as they are now altering OpenStreetMap by putting fake beaches in certain locations to benefit their chances of catching a new rare addition to the game.

The new Pokemon, Wiglett and Wugtrio, were recently added by Niantic to its renowned AR game, but these monsters are exclusive to beaches or places near the sea only because of their nature.

Pokemon GO Players Alter OpenStreetMap with Fake Beaches

Avid fans and players of Pokemon GO are now altering OpenStreetMap data to add fake beaches, as they believe that doing so opens up the opportunity to catch the latest addition to the game.

According to 404Media, the open-source map platform community identified these new fake locations and immediately tied them to the game.

A thread from OpenStreetMap regarded that the first two cases spotted were from April 27, with two Italian users adding fictitious beaches despite not being there.

It is known that Pokemon GO previously introduced biomes in the game where specific Pokemon types would only spawn here.

New Rare Pokemon: Wiglett and Wugtrio

The new and rare Pokemon in question is Wiglett and Wugtrio, a spin-off of the ground-type Pokemon from the 1st-Generation Kanto region, Diglett and Dugtrio.

The only difference is they are of different biomes and can only be found around beaches.

Pokemon GO is known for using OpenStreetMap's data, but it was argued that it remains unknown when the last time it updated its map data from the database for its game.

Adding fake beaches may as well be a wasted effort if this is the case and it only disrupts the map data which others may use for more important things.

Pokemon GO's Real-World Phenomenon

The almost one-decade game from The Pokemon Company and Niantic Labs, Pokemon GO, has redefined how people augment real life with the renowned Japanese manga through the game.

From its initial mechanics of completing the Pokedex and catching the monsters that spawn whenever they move, it evolved into a more in-depth take on the fictional world's battling, gym raids, and more.

In its eight years, Pokemon GO introduced many different creatures from the manga, series, and games, with the 9th-gen Paldea region monsters now available.

There are speculations behind Niantic looking to make the experience more realistic, now resorting to generative AI to bring this in the future, but it remains unknown if the company would integrate it into the game.

Despite its long run, Pokemon GO is still going strong and becoming popular among avid fans and gamers who want to experience the augmented experience of monsters to catch and take care of.

However, some fans are taking extreme measures to ensure they complete their Pokedex and get ahold of the rare ones, going as far as altering OpenStreetMap that may not even contribute to their progression.