Can your avatar be bald in Pokemon GO?

Pokemon GO's new avatar visual overhaul has been divisive, to say the least. But one of the features that Niantic promised was more appearance variations for player avatars. Given these promises, one must ask: is it possible to make your avatar bald? Based on the available customization options, it doesn't seem likely, although some players have done so accidentally due to a bug.

While Pokemon GO's avatar overhaul introduced new body types and additional colors for in-game avatars, the option of having no hair at all remains absent. However, through a particularly odd glitch utilizing the Lugia Mask style item, some fans are noticing that they can make their avatars bald, though Niantic will likely patch this in the future.

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Pokemon GO fans are horrified and dissatisfied with the avatar graphics update

A Lugia Mask glitch has led some players to have bald avatars unintentionally (Image via u/ClassicSudden8216/Reddit)

Niantic set some lofty expectations for Pokemon GO's visual update, including changes made to avatars. However, there were early signs from the graphical update's testing phase that the new visuals were far from what players would call an improvement. For many players, their avatars were unrecognizable; this backlash has persisted after the avatar update's launch.

Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but the near-unanimous criticism of the avatar update has shown that Niantic may have fumbled one of its most requested updates. For years, Pokemon GO trainers clamored for more avatar customization beyond clothing and limited skin/hair color options, but the final product seems to have failed to deliver better customization options or better avatar visuals.

By combining the Lugia Mask style option and certain hats like the Deino/Furfrou Hat, players can create a situation where a bug activates, making a Pokemon GO avatar bald. Be that as it may, this isn't by design, and it's confusing why something as simple as baldness would be missing in the update, especially when Niantic stated that it wanted to add variety to trainer body types and appearances.

Players have only accomplished a bald avatar by combining a Lugia Mask and certain hats (Image via u/Zabloingsus/Reddit)

All things considered, baldness is hardly the biggest problem for Pokemon GO's troubled avatar update rollout. Some fans have sworn off the game after updating their apps to find an unrecognizable trainer character that they can't fix to their liking with the available options. Even worse, players who don't mind the changed visuals have complained that the customization options are still quite limited.

For a few Pokemon GO fans, the optimism toward Niantic and the trust in its ability to steer the game's future was lost long ago. This heavily reviled avatar update seems to be even more ammunition for trainers who have already criticized Niantic's business and game design practices. The complaints are hopefully heard so Niantic can address the issues, but some players have already tuned out.

The #RediscoverGO campaign set forth by Niantic to revitalize interest in Pokemon GO seems to be on an incredibly rocky start. Niantic has been criticized in recent years, but it may want to heavily consider addressing the complaints set forward by players about the avatar update, as avatars represent players in the game.

While they're at it, it might not be a bad idea to add a bald option for hair customizations so that players don't have to rely on glitches.