Pokemon Go players think devs have “never played” the game

Pokemon Go players are convinced the devs haven’t played the game, considering the issues that continue to hamper the experience.

Since its original launch in the summer of 2016, Pokemon Go has captured the imaginations of millions of players worldwide.

The game’s popularity has spawned in-person events, tons of in-game activities, and it regularly gives players a reason to explore the world around them. However, not everything POGO-related is perfect.

Recently, users have taken issue with Pokemon Go’s challenges and Research Rewards. Players continue to express their interest in seeing certain systems such as Gifts overhauled, as well. As the problems persist, some longtime fans can’t help but question how often the development team plays the game it’s supporting.

Players don’t think Pokemon Go devs actually play their game

A popular Reddit post begins with, “Pokemon Go is cool but it sure feels like the devs have never played it.” The user who started the thread, Affectionate_Star636, said this thinking stems from the “game mechanics, costs, rewards, etc. [feeling] so out of whack…”

They added that if developers were to sit with Pokemon Go for a couple of days, they’d realize “getting a meowth for walking 1000m on routes ain’t it.”

Multiple users responded to the thread saying they agreed with the original poster’s assumption about the Pokemon Go devs at Niantic. One popular reply argued there’s some truth to the assessment, pointing out that Niantic primarily recruits from the tech world.

“They tend to hire from the tech world rather than gaming, so their approach to iterating is very tech-forward. The company exists to be an AR mapping and development platform and get people outside walking around, not to make great games.” Apparently, this explains features like multiplayer AR photos and routes, as it demonstrates to investors a focus on “driving AR adoption…”

Other Reddit users echoed the sentiment that Niantic isn’t a gaming-centric company. However, one player threw in a curve ball, saying their “pessimistic interpretation” of POGO’s relationship with its community is all about “a sick social/psychological experiment to see how long people will stay in an abusive relationship.”

Clearly, the Pokemon fandom has very strong feelings about Niantic’s competence as a gaming studio.