"PvP is the worst part of this game": Pokemon GO player vents about in-game mechanics

Pokemon GO's PvP has had a polarizing reception since its inception, and some trainers are still displeased with how player-vs-player combat works in the mobile title. One clearly irked user took to Reddit on June 10, remarking that "PvP is the worst part of this game," leveling criticism at the rotating GO Battle League formats, the lack of a Speed stat, and Charged Move Priority (CMP) ties.

They said:

"PvP is the worst part of this game."

A Pokemon GO trainer levies heavy criticism toward the game's PvP (Image via Reddit)

While many Pokemon GO fans agreed that they weren't keen on PvP and remarked that it felt more like a chore to get to the rewards that the game provides, others defended the system as an activity they can do on their own. Some trainers stated that they appreciated the inherent battle strategy. Opinions were divided, and it makes sense as to why this is the case.

Many Pokemon GO players have had experience with the main series' battle system (and occasionally its competitive meta as well). Compared to Niantic's mobile title, it's understandable why some would prefer the more stat/move-oriented turn-based battles of the core Pokemon series. Conversely, many trainers who enjoy GO's style of PvP prefer its overall simplicity.

Many Pokemon GO fans are dissatisfied with the PvP mechanics (Image via Reddit)

Some GO fans prefer PvP while others are unperturbed by it. But at this point in the game's life cycle, it's unlikely that massive overhauls to the player-vs-player combat system are in the cards for Niantic. The current PvP can be frustrating, but many trainers have grown accustomed to its mechanics over the last six years, since its introduction.

Some trainers stood by Pokemon GO's current PvP mechanics (Image via Reddit)

Even though PvP isn't a required gameplay mode and trainers can ignore it, the rewards it offers can be hard to overlook. This has led some players to "tank" and intentionally lose or use bots to farm rewards. This also disrupts the state of the PvP community in general, and some aspects of the gameplay can be rage-inducing, although the core mechanics of PvP aren't likely to change much.

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Why Pokemon GO's PvP isn't likely to shift much

Pokemon GO's PvP mechanics have remained fairly consistent dating back to 2018 (Image via Niantic)

Since PvP came to Niantic's mobile title in 2018, there have been several tweaks to the core player-vs-player gameplay, but the mechanics have remained largely unchanged. PvP formats in the GO Battle League shift across the schedule of each in-game season, but the mechanics of Fast and Charged Attacks, timing, shielding, and countering have remained the norm.

Pokemon GO itself is approaching its eighth anniversary, and while it continues to introduce Pocket Monsters, events, and gameplay changes, PvP has remained a relative constant during this time. Changes may arrive in the future, but something as foundational as altering the base combat system of PvP may not be a realistic possibility, as the wrong changes could prove catastrophic for the gameplay.

GO's PvP may not be perfect and can be frustrating at times, but it has ostensibly accomplished the task it set out to do, and countless players continue to battle each other regularly. It may be dreaded or heavily disliked by some, but Niantic performing a heel turn for PvP's core mechanics would be an incredibly unexpected and unlikely change eight years into the game's lifespan.