Pokémon GO: New update is being received poorly, studio is now laying off employees

In Pokémon GO, there was a recent update that was anything but well received by the community. The studio that developed it now has to lay off people. Is there a connection here?

Which update is it about? Recently, a large update with four features for Pokémon GO was announced. It primarily involves graphical adjustments and improvements in the game.

One of these features is the avatar update, which was introduced to the game on April 17th. The update has been received so poorly by the community that it has been referred to as the worst update in the history of updates.

Now there are reports that the studio responsible for the update has to lay off people.

Long-time employees laid off

What studio is it? The studio that now has to lay off employees is called Very Very Spaceship, or VVS for short. They have developed and contributed features for Pokémon GO, including the new avatar system, which was unlocked in Pokémon GO in April.

Now there are reports, including on gamedeveloper.com, that the studio is laying off staff. This involves an undisclosed number of employees from production, recruitment, and artists. All employees had been with VVS for between three and five years.

Are the layoffs related to the update? It is unknown whether the layoffs are directly related to the avatar update in Pokémon GO. Although the timing suggests this assumption, there is no concrete evidence or statements from the responsible parties.

What does the community say about it? The community blames less the studio for the avatar update and more Niantic itself. Some of the comments are:

• Remember that people in leadership positions at Niantic had to approve the designs; they could have rejected what was presented to them, says a trainer on Reddit
• I am less upset that they did a poor job than that Niantic carried out the update and ignored the feedback, says another comment on Reddit
• Okay, I don’t like the avatars, but it’s always sad to hear about layoffs. The problem is, why did the management push for this update when the feedback wasn’t good, asks another trainer on Reddit

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What do you think about it? Do you think that the layoffs are related to the update? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments and discuss with other trainers here.

Want to know what to expect in Pokémon GO soon? Then take a look at our overview of the events in May 2024 in Pokémon GO.