5 Pokemon GO community demands Niantic is unlikely to meet

Pokemon GO is one of the most popular and arguably one of the most controversial mobile games in the eyes of many. Most of this is due heavily to the many changes the developers have made over the years to the dismay of the playerbase. As such, many fans have had hopes that Niantic will listen to the community to fix the game for the better.

As the game ages and more features and additions come to it, many fans have wanted to see Pokemon GO changed in certain ways that would benefit the community. However, given Niantic's current business model, the company is unlikely to meet these demands and requests the playerbase has.

Note: This article is subjective and solely based on the author's opinion.

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5 changes Niantic will most likely never make to Pokemon GO

1) Revert avatar designs

The recent avatar update has many players upset (Image via Niantic)

Following the success of Monster Hunter Now, another mobile game by Niantic, many fans have noticed a subtle change in how the avatars in Pokemon GO look. Many players have compared the avatar models in GO to that of Monster Hunter Now, finding out that the base models in each game are virtually identical.

This was done most likely as a way for Niantic to save money on designing new cosmetics between each game. While some find this change understandable from a game development standpoint, it has altered Pokemon GO's artstyle in a way many players aren't happy about. Since these changes most likely save Niantic a substantial amount of money, this update is unlikely to be reverted.

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2) Shadow and Elite Raid rework

Shadow and Elite Raids require all players to be present at their location to participate (Image via Niantic)

In recent years, Niantic has introduced new ways to play Raid Battles in Pokemon GO. Elite and Shadow Raids were subjects of excitement upon their reveal. However, the joy quickly faded after Niantic announced participating in these limited-time raids remotely wouldn't be possible.

Many players in rural communities or lesser-populated towns have expressed disappointment in these features since they don't live in areas where these raids are hosted. Remote raiding was introduced as a potential way to fix this issue, but the beloved mechanic was stripped from arguably the most worthwhile raids the game has to offer.

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3) Remote Raid nerf reversion

Remote Raiding was introduced during the 2020 Pandemic as a way to let players comply with social-distancing regulations (Image via Niantic)

Remote raiding in Pokemon GO was introduced in 2020 as a way to play the game without breaking social distancing guidelines. However, as the feature grew in popularity, more players used it rather than attending raids in person. This hurt Niantic financially as it saw a stark decrease in location data from the community, which it collects to sell to advertisers. This is how the game can remain so popular without the need for frequent advertisements.

To increase the amount of collectible location data, Niantic rolled out a set of nerfs to the feature. Now players can only remotely raid three times per day only using the Premium Raid Pass items that can be purchased from the store. This item's cost was also nearly doubled. Understandably, the community was outraged at this change and requested for it to be readjusted at the very least, but to no avail.

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4) Redistributing Mythical Pokemon for free

Mythical Pokemon are sometimes distributed through limited events, but this has become much less common in recent times (Image via Niantic)

Starting with the release of the Mythical Pokemon Keldeo, Niantic has locked many Mythical Pokemon across the franchise behind paywalls and paid research tickets. While some like Meloetta and the first rendition of Zarude were distributed for free as a part of a limited-time event, Zarude's recent redistribution as a paid ticket-exclusive has many fans concerned.

With a lot of these Mythical Pokemon being very good in Pokemon GO's competitive scene, many fans are worried the game may soon become pay-to-win. At the very least, Niantic should consider releasing these monsters through 5-Star or Elite Raid Battles.

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5) Revert Community Day changes

Community Days used to last for six hours instead of three, like they do now (Image via Niantic)

Another change introduced during the 2020 Pandemic in Pokemon GO was an extension to the monthly Community Day celebration. However, this change was undone some time ago. Many players expressed disappointment as the extended time allowed for those who work or have other responsibilities to more easily make the time to participate in these beloved occasions.

These events let players catch some easy Shiny Pokemon, items, themed stickers, and other rewards if they purchase the event tickets. However, only giving the community three hours to complete all of their goals seems a bit strict for many, and with the time frame most commonly being 2 to 5 PM, many who work jobs on those days are sadly excluded.