Pokemon Go has had phenomenal success despite the rocky bumps experienced ever since the coronavirus came out. Due to the games' very own dynamics of physically requiring people to go out and catch em' all in an experience that pushes players to live out the pokemon trainer dreams, the dynamics of this game had to evolve to the new circumstances.
Devices that are affected
For current players of the Pokemon Go on either the Android 5.0 "Lollipop" for the tablet or smartphone and iOS 10 and 11 users, Niantic will be ending the games' ability to run on your OS. For players using these types of devices and earlier phone or tablet models, Pokemon Go will no longer be playable in October.
The official Twitter account confirmed that there are already two popular older phones that also won't be able to make the cut, the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 5S. Both devices won't be able to play the game despite being able to upgrade to iOS 12.
The performance of Pokemon Go might not actually be demanding as much as other games but the reason for the discontinuation is because the game still heavily relies on your own phone's camera, its GPS tracking, and more importantly, the general chops used to catch up with the 3D visuals that the game offers. Another impracticality is that it also drains a significant chunk out of an ageing battery.
In an upcoming update to Pokémon GO in October, we will end support for Android 5, iOS 10, and iOS 11, as well as iPhone 5s and iPhone 6 devices. Trainers with devices not specifically listed here will not be affected and don't need to take any action. — Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) August 31, 2020
The safe zone
If you're using the flagship or even a midrange Android or iPhone, you won't really have to worry. The ones affected are the gamers using much older and much more affordable devices.
Pokemon Go is currently still incredibly popular despite the changes in 2020. The previous year was reported as the games' most lucrative year ever since the earlier years of their launch.
According to Sensor Tower, the games' popularity did not even dip down during the whole COVID-19 pandemic. On the contrary, the game was even able to rake up revenue of $254 million during the 2nd quarter of 2020.
This massive reach was almost a 38% increase in revenue boost in comparison to the quarter before. The whole stay-at-home problem was swiftly dealt with as Niantic found a way to get players to play despite staying indoors.
Read Also: 'Pokemon GO' Guide: How to Find and Catch Ditto, Plus Everything You Need to Know About Mega Raids
Will Niantic be affected by this decision?
There is no calculation available for public as of today regarding the user base Niantic will lose if they cut off the older devices for Pokemon Go. According to Report Door, the loss of these devices will not really make a massive impact on the company's user base.
Despite inquiries, Niantic has not yet given a statement as to why they are deciding to remove older devices from its user base.
