[make3]

Niantic were 100% responsible of making sure the connections would work. They are a large organisation and 100% should have hired technicians to test the networks before organizing the event. That's basic due diligence.

That's like organizing an event on the roof of a building, but the roof wasn't made to support so many people and it caves in during the event. Sure they didn't build the building, but they still should've checked it could handle their needs.

[bastawhiz]

So where do we draw the line? If Niantic says "hang out on a boat and we'll give you rare water pokémon" and players charter a boat and the boat sinks, is it Niantic's fault? What if there's inclement weather that makes it impossible to play in the area that some players are in? To what end should Niantic be responsible for things that are prerequisite to using their service?

Let's say I held a picnic potluck that required you to bring some potato salad to get in. The local Trader Joe's is out of potato salad, so lots of people can't get in (despite there being other ways of procuring potato salad). Is it my fault that I didn't coordinate with grocery stores to make sure there would be enough?

[make3]

Your first example isn't representative, unless Niantic organised the event in a place where there was only one boat people could possibly rent for practical reasons in the area. I would argue this makes it really stupid planning by Niantic.

In your second example, if Trader Joe is the only potato shop remotely close, then it was indeed also really stupid planning by Niantic

[VikingCoder]

> making sure the connections would work

The cellular data connections? From all the mobile providers?

And it's not good enough to refund, but they have to PAY?

If your cellular connection goes down, do you get a refund? Do you sue? Is that really your relationship with your provider? And now somehow someone making a GAME is supposed to make that relationship BETTER? How exactly?