Pokémon GO surprised Pokémon fans over the world. From the moment the trailer release, fans began to prepare for what was sure to be the most epic adventure they could go on. To live their fantasy to be the Pokémon master, that was the quest. However, did the game live up to the hype? In the beginning we believe it is fair to say that it didn’t. That isn’t to say it was bad, it just looked prettier in the previews. It has been a couple of years since the release, and now many fans are asking the question, is Pokémon GO dead?
That isn’t really an easy question to answer, or address for that matter. It is just a matter of opinion and perspective. So, with this in mind, we decided to try and weigh the pros and cons to tell you into a decision of whether Pokémon GO is dead, or just beginning.
Cons
For starters, spawning issues. This has been one of the most common, and one of the first, issues that many had experienced (Especially in rural areas). The main issue with the spawning con is that Pokémon GO offers some decent spawning rates, however, you run into a lot of the more common Pokémon over the rare ones. In the rural areas, it is Rattata city and you will have a hard time finding joy in catching the same 4 Pokémon repeatedly for days on end just for a chance spawn on a rare Pokémon.
The fan base has dwindled a lot since the beginning, which was to be expected because the hype shadowed the game. This is really only a problem if you are focused on playing with friends and they aren’t interested anymore.
Discouraging actions from other players. By discouraging actions, we refer to the Pokémon GO players that use bots and spoofers to catch and control Pokémon in certain areas. Niantic is doing nothing about these players and people are left feeling like there isn’t any point to the game with these cheats available to the lazy.
The group requirement for most of the interesting content is a bit aggravating. Raids are understandable, but needing help to take out a gym feels like it ruins the spirit of the Pokémon battle from the games.
The main issue, and most important con, is that there is no linear story. In fact, there is no story at all, or set goals or quests for that matter. It is just there, and it isn’t sparking or holding the interest of the people who expected more.
Pros
There is still a large raiding community in major cities. Though it sucks for the rural areas, the larger cities do have a massive fanbase that enjoy getting together, doing raids, then grabbing lunch together and enjoying the company of strangers whilst making friends.
The raids stay consistent, plentiful, and timely. They don’t make the random encounters spaced far apart, but they aren’t always bunched together. It would seem that the Pokémon company and Niantic have found a solid medium on the raid spawn rate.
This game still promotes healthier activity. The whole point of Pokémon GO was to inspire people to get off the couch and explore. Like they used to…… This game still does that, encouraging people to go to public parks and areas and walk to discover PokéStops, gyms, Pokémon, and hatch eggs. There have even been elderly individuals picking this game up because it helps encourage them to get needed exercise.
Conclusion
Though there are seemingly more cons than pros, the pros are still really positive, and we are sure there are more we didn’t happen to think of. As stated before, it is really a matter of opinion. Yes, there needs to be something that drives excitement and more fun into the game, but there are already practical purposes for the game via exercise. We don’t believe Pokémon GO is dead, just resting until the time is right. But what do you think? Do you believe Pokémon GO is dead? Or do you think that it is just getting started? Let us know!
