Pokémon GO influencers threaten a boycott after Niantic removes COVID safety measures
The creators of Pokemon GO, Niantic, developed one of the first mainstream augmented reality games, boasting 166 million users and over a billion dollars in revenue last year. Taking inspiration from the main series Pokemon games, Pokemon GO uses in-game incentives to encourage users to explore their surroundings, team up with other users to fight legendary beasts, and travel to places they've never been before.
Before the pandemic, this posed an accessibility issue - when certain tasks could only be completed by walking a certain distance, for example, it alienated users with physical conditions and disabilities that prevent them from easily taking a walk around the neighborhood. Plus, for players in wheelchairs, it might be impossible to access certain PokeStops and Gyms. It's necessary to interact with these real-world landmarks to play the game to its fullest.
How Niantic evolved Pokemon GO for the year no one could go anywhere
When much of the world entered lockdown March 2020, Pokemon Go doubled the size of the radius that players can be within to interact with a PokeStop or Gym, widening the radius from 40 meters to 80 meters. So, you could now be farther away from a landmark but still reap its rewards. This made it easier for users to play from home or play outside while social distancing - but it also made the game much more accessible. Plus, for a game that still gets a bad rep for causing traffic accidents, the increased radius helped pedestrian players access landmarks without brazenly jaywalking across the street (to be fair, it's on users to make smart decisions while gaming in augmented reality - but, Niantic has responsibility here too). And for businesses that happened to be located in a prime location for raid battles, which require players to gather in person within a Gym's radius to defeat rare monsters, this meant that Pokemon players could maintain a respectful distance from storefronts while playing the game (later in the pandemic, it became possible to join raid battles remotely - this feature will remain in the game, probably because it proved profitable).
These pandemic incentives were always framed as temporary bonuses, but players embraced the changes - in 2020, Pokemon GO had its highest-earning year yet. Now, the increased landmark radius has been removed as a test" in the U.S. and New Zealand.
As we return to the outside world again, these changes are aimed at restoring the focus of Pokemon GO on movement and exploration in the real world," the company wrote in a blog post. These changes will be introduced slowly and carefully to make it more exciting to explore the world around you."
One new incentive gives users 10x XP for visiting a new PokeStop for the first time (or, in real-world terms, visiting a new place). But as the delta variant spreads in the U.S., players find these changes to be frustrating and misguided. Why roll back features that made the game more accessible while also netting the company more money?
The removal of double distance is nothing short of a slap in the face towards the #PokemonGO Community.
I'll realistic and say I that I'll quit GO if changes aren't being made ASAP.
I REFUSE to cover a game that doesn't have it's player base in its best interest.
- REVERSAL - Pokemon GO (@REVERSALxPoGO) August 1, 2021
The Pokemon GO YouTuber, Reversal, who has created sponsored content for Niantic, wrote that he will quit the game if changes aren't made ASAP. Other players launched a petition with over 130,000 signatures to keep increased PokeStop and Gym interaction distance. Prominent Pokemon GO content creators like ZoeTwoDots and The Trainer Club have referenced a potential boycott of the game in videos they uploaded today, citing Niantic's refusal to listen to community concerns after they announced the impending end of pandemic bonuses in June.
I'm more than down to boycott the game with everyone if we're vibing that," ZoeTwoDots, who has also partnered with Niantic, told her 212,000 subscribers. I know for myself personally, I'm just straight up not spending money in the game going forward until they address it publicly."
My opinion on the Pokestop radius hasn't changed. It was a clear quality of life change that was only fully realised because of a (ongoing) pandemic. It has provided accessibility to disabled players, safety to all players, and NEVER affected our enjoyment of exploration. https://t.co/DK1VWkw0ga
- ZoeTwoDots
(@_ZoeTwoDots) August 1, 2021
As the game celebrates its five-year anniversary, the conflict it now faces isn't about players wishing for the game to be easier. Rather, this represents a failure by Niantic to listen to its user base, prioritize accessibility and incentivize users to stay home as COVID-19 cases rise again in the U.S.