Pokemon Go players have taken to social media to Niantic changes plan to remove “extended reach” feature from augmented reality game. This feature was introduced last year in connection with the COVID 19 quarantine and allowed gamers to play the video game from their homes. In summary: the range of action of our character and the pokeparadas was greater. This is one of the many features that Niantic plans to reverse to return the game to its original approach.
The Pokémon Go community has written a open letter, posted on Reddit by user r / SilphRoad, in which players go directly to Niantic to ask them to keep the “extended reach” feature, especially now that a new variant of COVID-19 has started to spread in many areas of the world.
Dear @NianticLabs @PokemonGoApp @johnhanke @Pokemon,
The Pokémon GO Community has been waiting patiently for an answer in the last few days, but sadly, many trainers have walked away. We seek your attention & respond as the Community really needs it now.#HearUsNiantic #PokemonGO pic.twitter.com/mpcJtJI9Jo— BrandonTan91 #HearUsNiantic (@brandontan91) August 5, 2021
“Dear Niantic, both the community and the creators want to express our concern and disappointment at the recent changes in the reduction of the interaction radius of PokeStops in Pokemon Go.“, the letter begins.”When the interaction radius of the PokeStops was increased due to an unprecedented global pandemic, a change in the game occurred that has had a much greater positive impact on the community.“
Beyond being able to play from home, players cite other benefits of increased radius, such as road safety and accessibility for disabled players, as reasons why this change should be maintained indefinitely. In addition, they have created the hashtag #HearUsNiantic to get the developer’s attention.
I’m going to set aside my opinion here and share a concern from the community. Although Niantic touts its community as one of its biggest strengths, they haven’t done as much as acknowledge us on this matter.
So, @NianticLabs, I ask you to hear us out. #HearUsNiantic pic.twitter.com/ABR11bG7A8
— Leek Duck (@LeekDuck) August 5, 2021
When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged last year, Pokemon Go and other augmented reality games they had to adapt to the situation to survive and the players did too. At the moment, Niantic has not responded or expressed that it will change its plans to reverse most of the changes that were made. If you want to know what they are, you can take a look at them HERE.