The frenzy surrounding Niantic Labs' augmented reality location-based mobile game Pokémon GO seems to be diminishing as the title has slipped to a 2-star rating on the App Store.
All is not well for the game as it is not just iOS users, but Android users too are displeased and have besieged it with 1-star reviews on Google Play.
So what could be the reason for the sudden backlash you wonder? In late July, Pokémon GO received a significant update, but the patch did not go down well with loyalists who felt cheated. Why? Developer Niantic Labs has axed features such as the step counter or footprint tracker, which enabled a gamer to zone-in on a nearby Pokémon. The update also blocked third-party applications and sites such as PokéVision, which enabled gamers to find Pokémon near them.
Tech Times has reported that several loyalists took to Reddit to express their dissent. The game came under fire as players demanded refunds.
As a result of the update not going down well with gamers, Pokémon GO is facing brickbats from loyalists who are venting their dissatisfaction through giving the game terrible star ratings.
"Needs loads of work. Especially for when walking around the house. I don't have data so I have to be around Wi-Fi, to play. I've played since launch and only have 16 Pokemon and haven't made it to lvl 5 yet. I get the concept of the game but most don't have the option so it's making us have to do without or spend more money for service. Will revisit if they make the game more fair and friendly. Until then thumbs down. Uninstalled. Also Wi-Fi connection only reads a fraction of actual distance travelled," reviewed a gamer on Google Play Store who gave the title a 1-star rating.
"I'm not going to waste my time taking my 8 month pregnant wife pokemoning if we can't even track pokes we don't have. That was the majority of the fun of the game. Also, bring the experience bonus for throws back. What's the incentive to get good at that if you aren't rewarded? It's not like it doesn't already take forever to level. Not sure if that was intentional or what but fix it. You also definitely made pokemon more aggressive, though I can't prove this and it's anecdotal. FIX YOUR GAME," ranted another livid user on the Google Play Store.
iOS users are also unhappy with how the game is panning out post the update's rollout and have bestowed a bad rating on Pokémon GO. The current version of the game has an overall 2-star rating vis-a-vis the 3-star rating for other versions.
"Unfortunately at the end of July and update happened which seems to of wiped a lot of my Pokemon from my pokedex. To say I'm more then upset about this is an understatement. These Pokèmon don't take just a few minutes to catch. Also the update seems to of changed the distance of Pokèmon near you, that function of the game is now completely useless. It no longer tells you how far away a Pokèmon might be but the Pokèmon that shows on there is never in that area no matter how much walking you do. Pokèvision was amazing and still believed in the same concept of Pokèmon Go, as it was getting you out and about but unfortunately that no longer exist thanks to Niantic," moaned a gamer.
Even though Niantic Labs explained that it removed the three-step system because it was confusing and did not meet its product goals, the ratings for Pokémon GO on the App Store and the Google Play Store suggest that gamers are not buying into the logic.
