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Pokemon GO is about to complete seven years in July 2023. The game released in 2016 revolutionized how fans of the Pokemon franchise enjoyed video games. The main-series games were restricted to players who owned a Nintendo device or at least a PC where they could emulate the games. Niantic's AR-based innovation on the game made it possible for owners of smartphones to access it easily.
Over the years, Pokemon GO has undergone many phases, consistently adding content and slightly changing what is already available. However, Niantic has failed to address a very key aspect: accessibility. Pokemon GO is already somewhat restrictive, as players are expected to move around to catch pocket monsters and participate in Gym Battles and Raids.
Mobile games have increasingly implemented accessibility functions to make it easier for a wider player base, such as neurodivergent players or players with disabilities, to partake in them. However, Pokemon GO has a long way to go, and the player base demands that Niantic do the same for its most popular game.
What are some of the accessibility features Pokemon GO players want implemented in the game?
It is quite surprising that Niantic's Pokemon mobile game lacks any sort of accessibility support even almost seven years after its release. u/WeaponisedArmadillo took to the 'The Silph Road' subreddit to share their suggestions on some of the things that Niantic could do to make the game more accessible to a larger population and the gameplay experience more comfortable for its already existing player base.
Their list of suggestions included adding an option to switch from the tapping gesture to a hold gesture (during battles in the game), a sliding level of difficulty when it came to curveball throws that rewarded players with XP based on their chosen level of difficulty, adjustable text sizes, and so on.
Other players also suggested things they felt the developers could add or tweak in the game for players to have a better experience. u/JeMangeCrayons suggested the removal of white flashes when switching from one screen to another, saying that it triggered migraines for them. This idea was backed by other community members, some of whom were sensitive to flashing lights, such as persons with epilepsy.
Players with visual impairment and low vision suggested adding more elaborative sounds and a high-contrast mode for their experience playing Pokemon GO to be more smooth.
u/FPG_Matthew reiterated the importance of adjustable text sizes and was backed up by other players who said they would also appreciate the addition of such a setting.
Another big issue plaguing Pokemon GO players is how intense the game is on the phone's battery, often draining the cells in hours. Considering the game needs the screen to be on for everything in it, from wild encounters to hatching eggs, a mode that helps conserve energy would greatly help players.
These suggestions come on top of the ongoing struggle that the community has been raging against Niantic in the form of the #HearUsNiantic movement. The nerfs to remote raid passes seriously hurt many community members, including those with mobility-related disabilities, immunocompromised people, and so on.
Players also complained that the times of the events were sometimes quite inconvenient. They pointed out that Niantic can be more considerate about places with different climates and time zones, making it difficult for players to participate in Pokemon GO events. For example, Community Days in the game occur between 2-5 pm local time, which can be really hot in places like New Delhi, India, during the summer, or during winters in a place like Sweden.
There is a lot that players have to ask for from Niantic when it comes to Pokemon GO. The game's seventh anniversary, which will no doubt be an occasion that will be celebrated in-game, would be a great opportunity for the company to start addressing some of these issues.
