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Pokemon GO's Rediscover Kanto event was marred with plenty of controversies, but some trainers have even more questions in hindsight. One such example came from the GO Redditor u/TheGronne who wondered why the event was called "Rediscover" Kanto when it didn't introduce any new Pokemon or even provide opportunities to catch rare monsters from the Kanto region:
When Rediscover Kanto was first announced, many players initially thought it might be the opportunity to complete their Kanto Pokedex in Pokemon GO, catch Kanto Pokemon that are region-locked, or at least snag high-quality Kanto 'mons like the Legendary Birds or Mewtwo. However, trainers like TheGronne remarked that all they managed to find were common Pokemon that were easily attainable already.
Despite the fact that all of the Kanto region's creatures were added to Pokemon GO incredibly early in its tenure, trainers expected more than finding the same common Kanto creatures they'd seen in the past. Region-locked monsters like Tauros or Kangaskhan could have been temporarily unlocked so players didn't have to travel to catch them, but the reality of Rediscover Kanto fell short.
For the most part, Rediscover Kanto focused on the Kanto starter Pokemon and their Mega Evolutions while scattering relatively common Kanto 'mons across various in-game biomes. Plenty of trainers felt that the least Niantic could do was unlock region-locked species for the event or add a new regional variant of an existing Kanto Pokemon, like Paldean Tauros, for example, to truly "Rediscover" Kanto.
Put plainly, Pokemon GO players were saying that if the event was about rediscovering the Kanto region, there should have been something new or fresh to allow them to see the venerated region in a new light. For these trainers, treading out the same common Kanto region Pokemon that can be found outside the event hardly amounts to any kind of unique or innovative twist.
A few players suggested that the rediscovery of the event center on biomes, which allow trainers to find certain Pokemon types in their corresponding environments. However, more than a few fans in u/TheGronne's thread expected much more than finding the same Kanto Pokemon, even if they were distributed across biomes.
Why was Kanto chosen for Pokemon GO's "Rediscover" event?
While it seems sensible to rediscover Niantic's mobile title by going back to its Generation I roots when the Kanto region 'mons were the only ones available back in 2016, many trainers have likely seen enough of that. Sure, not every player may be familiar with the region due to various factors (age, joining GO recently, etc.), but even then, Kanto region Pokemon are far from rare.
Many Pokemon fans hold a deep reverence for Generation I, and perhaps Niantic thought that Rediscover Kanto might be a way to recapture nostalgia for Pokemon GO's earlier days and those of the franchise in general. However, if fans who are well-acquainted with Kanto weren't seeing anything particularly new or unique in the event, what exactly are they rediscovering?
Outside of events, even casual fans have likely seen their fair share of Kanto species. As nostalgic as Kanto and the Generation I Pokemon games can be, a relative lack of new or enticing content beyond reintroducing a focus on biomes isn't much of an incentive for players. Moreover, fans who have left the game won't be won over if Niantic trots out the same Pokemon they're used to seeing.
Even though GO was a very different game back in 2016, it was also heavily marred with flaws, including a huge lack of spawning diversity, especially in rural, remote, and low-population areas. Bringing back biomes was a nice touch, but it doesn't serve much of a purpose if trainers are still catching droves of Pidgey and Rattata as they were eight years ago, making Kanto an incredibly puzzling choice.
