The players of Pokémon GO have been wishing for an in-game chat feature since the beginning of the game. However, this request has never been addressed by Niantic until now. There is hope that this feature will finally arrive.
What is it about? Many players have been criticizing the lack of communication options among trainers in Pokémon GO for several years. This is particularly relevant for coordinating raids, friend level-ups, or for trade exchanges.
Since such a feature does not currently exist in the game, numerous trainer groups have formed in social networks, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, as well as through instant messengers like Discord and WhatsApp. However, Niantic now wants to move away from these external arrangements and gives trainers hope.
What happened? As Niantic announced, a new mobile game titled “TRANSFORMERS: Heavy Metal” is set to be released later this year. In the context of this announcement, Niantic shared details about the new social feature with the renowned website Bloomberg:
“Niantic is also introducing new social features in its games so that players can coordinate their meetups, which they are currently doing mainly through Discord and Facebook,” states the article (via bloomberg.com).
It is therefore likely that reddit users assume that there will be a chat feature in Pokémon GO in the future (via reddit.com). When such an in-game chat will be available and what it will look like is still unknown.
Community’s Ideas and Wishes for the In-Game Chat in Pokémon GO
Users on reddit have already shared their own ideas and wishes regarding how this chat feature could look in the game. One trainer writes that he wishes for a real chat in Pokémon GO so that he no longer has to rely on external groups (via reddit.com). These groups frequently cause his game to crash.
Another player suspects that Niantic will only use pre-written phrases for an in-game chat (via reddit.com). This scenario does not seem so unlikely to some users. One argument for this is primarily child protection.
As user Stockings Booby points out on reddit, Pokémon GO is still played by many children (via reddit.com). An unrestricted chat feature could be too risky for them. Niantic actually has to take this target group into special consideration.
Nevertheless, many continue to hold onto the wish that Niantic will provide a solution for this. Because through a chat feature in Pokémon GO, some trainers also see the chance to connect with other players that they do not personally know but have on their friends list.
Since the launch of the game, such a chat feature has been desired. In 2018, it was among the biggest wishes for the year 2019 in Pokémon GO.
What are your ideas and wishes for an in-game chat in Pokémon GO? And through which platforms are you currently communicating with other trainers? Feel free to exchange ideas in the comments here at MeinMMO.
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