Monday, August 8, 2016

Is Pokemon Go Over?

 


    Pokemon Go is the breakout game of the summer. Pokemon Go is an app developed by The Pokemon Company and Niantic where it uses your phone's GPS and allows you find and catch pokemon, find pokestop locations for items like pokeballs and lures to attract pokemon, and fight at gym locations. If you are unfamiliar with the franchise, I would like to know how was living on the moon. When the game was available for iOS and android in July, it was 90s Pokemania all over again. It has done extremely well. It caused Nintendo's stock to rise like a Ho-Oh form the flames. It had more users on it than Tinder and Twitter. Everything seems just perfect, except it's not.
     Over the past few days Pokemon go has been in a bit of controversy. The recent update was an attempt to fix some issues with the app like the 3-step glitch. The latest update removed it all together as well as the batter-saving option. Reasons for the removal were quoted

"We have removed the ‘3-step’ display in order to improve upon the underlying design," the company wrote. "The original feature, although enjoyed by many, was also confusing and did not meet our underlying product goals. We will keep you posted as we strive to improve this feature."

     This was enough to make some fans of the game outraged. The game is still facing problems with lag and crashing. It seems like everytime Niantic, the company responsible for Pokemon Go takes one step to fix an issue, they get knocked two steps back. The features are slated to be coming back. But is the damage already done? Is this and continuing problems with the app enough to give this game a short lifespan?
     First of all there seem to be a lot of issues with Niantic. We were basically handed a broken game when it had server issues in the beginning and even now. They weren't prepared. They are however acknowledging the problem and Niantic's CEO John Hanke says they are working tirelessly to making improvements. All problems can be fixed, with the right people fixing the problem.  So is the app officially dead? Not really. Luckily for them people are still using Pokemon Go. It is obvious that  there is some serious work done. Hopefully the problem is fixed soon, and especially before Gen 2 pokemon get here.