5 ways Niantic can breathe fresh life into Pokemon GO

Pokemon GO is almost a completely different game compared to its launch in July 2016, but plenty of work still needs to be done. Many longtime fans have sometimes stated that the popular mobile title could do with some changes or new features to improve the gameplay experience.

While players come and go in Pokemon GO, certain implementations may allow the user base to better solidify and grow. For one reason or another, some gamers, even longtime Pokemon fans, simply can't stick around on the mobile title.

However, if Niantic were to make some changes, things may improve for them and the game's longevity as a whole. It's impossible to make the entire player base happy, but trainers can look to specific changes that would be pretty welcome.

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Pokemon GO: Changes many users would like to see revitalize the game in 2022

5) Rein in shiny appearances

Various shiny Pokemon in Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)

When introduced in the second generation of games, shiny Pokemon were considered exceptionally rare. However, in recent years in Pokemon GO, shinies have essentially been used as a bargaining chip.

They're teased during events in the hope that trainers will participate and potentially spend money to obtain a shiny of their liking. While this certainly generates revenue for Niantic, shinies have become so commonplace that they're far from the rare entities they were once considered.

In the early Pokemon titles, encountering even a shiny Zubat was cause for excitement, but the mobile title has seen widespread shiny appearances to the point where they're sold online.

If Niantic were to rein in the appearances of shinies, trainers might at least feel a bit more excited when they actually do find one of the rare color variants of a Pokemon.

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4) Improving rural experience

A relatively empty expanse is common for rural Pokemon GO players (Image via Niantic)

One of the biggest complaints since Pokemon GO's launch is Niantic's relative indifference towards players who don't live in cities. While Pokemon spawns have become more varied, and users can now vote for future Pokestops, the experience still leaves lots to be desired.

Trainers shouldn't be penalized for where they live, work, and have the ability to travel. While Niantic has made more than a few promises to improve the rural experience, many gamers are still left wanting more from the developer.

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3) Improving leveling experience

Trainer level 40 isn't easy to achieve in the mobile title (Image via Niantic)

Any Pokemon GO trainer will tell readers that one of the longest slogs in the game is progressing through the trainer leveling system. It takes an astronomical amount of experience to reach the landmark levels of 40 and 50.

While players do receive rewards along the way, it mostly comes in the form of items and cosmetics, things that not every trainer necessarily cares about. This is especially true considering the massive amounts of experience required to level up from roughly the 30-50 range, making it nigh-impossible for users who aren't playing the game constantly.

Instead of adding more levels as they've done in the past, Niantic may want to take a close look at trainer leveling. By reducing the requirements or improving the rewards, trainers would likely be much more driven to climb the trainer-level rankings.

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2) Relax paywalls

The Season of Light will undoubtedly have more than a few paid events (Image via Niantic)

There's no doubt that Pokemon GO is a mobile title that must make money through microtransactions without ads. However, one of the biggest complaints from the community is the exclusivity of many in-game events, which Niantic placed either partially or entirely behind microtransactions.

Want to access the Special Research for a given event? Gamers will often need to purchase a ticket to do so. There are also entire events, such as the region tours, that require them to pay up to opt-in.

It's one thing to charge players for items, cosmetics, and such, but when they are being omitted from "exclusive" content for not paying real-world money, it harms the spirit of the game. Niantic may not ever wholly remove these paywalls, but reducing them would go a long way in improving user morale.

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1) Reworking PvE content

Team GO Rocket has changed very little over the years (Image via Niantic)

If readers are not fans of Pokemon GO's PvP element, there isn't that much to enjoy as far as battling goes. Team GO Rocket occasionally appears, but they've changed very little over the game's lifespan and don't offer much besides the occasional Shadow Pokemon.

Raiding can certainly be challenging, but experienced raiders have stated that the cycle of completing raids is incredibly repetitive and can also be prohibitively expensive (raid passes aren't cheap). This has made more than a few Pokemon GO trainers feel like they're being punished for not diving into PvP.

It's no secret that the PvE aspects of Pokemon GO have long needed addressing. Perhaps Niantic can add more NPCs to the game world to make it feel a little more alive for players who don't want to deal repeatedly with the PvP League meta.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author's opinion.