Highlights
A fan's suggestion to enhance Pokemon GO Routes has surfaced, aiming to address concerns about their visibility and functionality.The proposition entails incorporating the display of nearby Routes on the game's overworld map, specifically highlighting them at PokeStops and Gyms.
Despite no official confirmation from Niantic regarding potential enhancements to Routes, fervent players on the r/TheSilphRoad subreddit have expressed their support for the idea.
Shortly after the introduction of the new feature in Pokemon GO, an enthusiast put forth a suggestion on how Niantic could enhance Routes. This proposal emerged towards the conclusion of the recent Pokemon GO event, which showcased a new legendary Pokemon.
Pokemon GO Routes, launched on July 21, are a recent addition to the popular mobile game, enabling players to share their favorite walking paths with others. The purpose of this feature is to encourage exploration and discovery of unique locations around the world. However, players have expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of Routes, citing bugs and a lack of availability. This has negatively affected their enjoyment of the recent Pokemon GO event, which was designed to showcase this functionality.
In response to these complaints, Reddit user Byotan has proposed a solution to improve Routes. They suggest that Niantic, the game developer, should make nearby Routes visible on the game map when they overlap with PokeStops and Gyms. By doing so, the fan believes that the visibility of these community-created paths will increase, ultimately improving the overall gameplay experience. Currently, Routes can only be seen from the Nearby Pokemon screen, necessitating frequent checks of the menu to avoid missing out.
According to the author, the proposal, although not solving all of the issues causing discontent among Pokemon GO players regarding Routes, would serve as an initial step in the right direction. The suggestion quickly gained popularity on the front page of the r/TheSilphRoad subreddit, indicating support from dedicated players of the game.
Currently, there is no indication from Niantic of any plans to revamp Routes in the future. Although this would not be unusual for the developer, their handling of player feedback has been inconsistent in the past. Niantic has been known to be stubborn in sticking to certain design choices. A recent example of this was the introduction of highly unpopular changes in late March that restricted players' ability to participate in Remote Raids. Despite significant backlash, including boycotts, these changes are still in effect as of the summer of 2023.
In recent weeks, fan criticism has not been limited to just the routes of the popular mobile game. In early July, players of Pokemon GO expressed frustration due to the high escape rates of creatures during the game's seventh anniversary event. The game can be played on mobile devices.