Pokemon Go’s history leads to skepticism around latest update announcement

Niantic has teased a major Pokemon Go update, but fans are more concerned than intrigued by what changes it could bring.

Pokemon Go is getting major changes soon, though no one has any idea what that will entail. Niantic announced “Big updates” in a trailer and in-app news update, but with no further details, fans have been left to speculate what’s coming to the game.

The cryptic nature of the tease has many anticipating a major overhaul of some kind, but interestingly, the general reception to the announcement from the player base is not excitement but skepticism.

Players have shared their predictions in a Reddit post discussing the news, with many thinking it has something to do with AR given the recent AR+ push. Regardless of what content and changes the update brings, though, one thing is clear: Pokemon Go players are expecting the worst.

Some players are genuinely worried that whatever is in the works is going to hurt the game, with a top comment on the post reading, “Why do these announcements fill me with dread?! Like how are they going to ruin it this time?”

This sentiment isn’t surprising considering the general tone surrounding the game recently, and it’s a belief many players hold. The last year has brought numerous changes and new features to Pokemon Go like Party Play and Routes, both of which have been criticized as “half-baked” additions.

The past couple of weeks alone have seen players slamming Niantic over “horrific” changes to avatar appearances and eliminating Pokemon Go’s original AR features in favor of AR+ – and that’s not even including the new and ongoing controversies around the game’s monetization like the noticeable increase in paid tickets.

In fairness to Niantic, it hasn’t all been doom and gloom for Pokemon Go. The core game remains fun and popular, and the developer has been praised for implementing some recent quality-of-life changes. Still, the vagueness of the announcement doesn’t seem to be getting players hyped in the way Niantic intended.

Overall, the response to the teased Pokemon Go update is largely cynical, echoing frustrations with recent changes and showing how far Niantic has to go to earn back players’ trust.