'Pokémon GO' fan faces imprisonment in Russia

A "Pokémon GO" fan is facing imprisonment in Russia after filming himself while playing the game in a local Orthodox church. YouTube/Pokemon GO

Sure, "Pokémon GO" is famous for being a unique game in the industry; however, it cannot be denied that its popularity is also stained of players getting into accidents and whatnots. Unfortunately for a certain fan, the game brought him his demise.

According to BBC, a Russian blogger named Ruslan Sokolovsky is facing a possible three-year imprisonment thanks to "Pokémon GO." He was found guilty by the court in the city of Yekaterinburg due to inciting insults and hatred towards religious believers. During the trial, the player, 22, pleaded not guilty in front of the judge and jury.

Sokolovsky basically filmed himself playing the hit mobile game while in a local Orthodox church in August 2016. Unfortunately, he was arrested afterward. The court found him guilty of "illegal trafficking of special equipment," which refers to a pen with a built-in video camera that he brought.

After receiving a suspended sentence, the "Pokémon GO" player was relieved. "Until the very last moment I didn't know what the sentencing would be," he said. Sokolovsky explained that all the while, he thought he would be going for a real prison sentence.

The "Pokémon GO" player reportedly apologized to all the religious believers he offended. He noted, however, that his video was simply "too cynical for the Russian society." Either way, he is still facing suspended sentence. He also mentioned about consulting his lawyers if filing an appeal against the verdict is a good idea.

In related "Pokémon GO" news, Forbes reports that Legendary creatures are believed to arrive sometime in the summer. The publication stated, however, that if this is going to happen, it will be great if game developer Niantic does the release on a weekly basis. Basically, the studio would be releasing at least one Legendary Pokémon every week, all summer long. The only catch, though, is that the company has yet to reveal an official release date for these Pokémon.

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