In the open letter from Pokévision to the Pokémon GO developers, you can see how much passion lies behind the game.
After apps and websites like PokéVision were banned a few days ago, the developers of these services have not given up yet. This will make many fans happy, as currently, there is no “reliable” way in the game itself to track down wild Pokémon using a radar. After PokéVision developer Yang Liu declined to comment on the events, he is now breaking his silence with an open letter to Niantic, showing how much passion fans and players have developed for Pokémon.
The players didn’t want to cheat, but to enjoy their game
In his open letter to John Hanke, the head of Niantic, PokéVision developer Yang Liu speaks plainly. He says that not all players used these services to cheat. Many simply wanted an alternative to the search function that doesn’t work in the game itself. PokéVision had up to 50 million different players and 11 million players a day. The reviews in the app stores also clearly indicate that a service like this is well received by players.
Here is an excerpt from the letter by Yang Liu to Niantic:
At this point, PokéVision has about 50 million different users and 11 million a day.
These numbers should be taken in.
Half of all Pokémon GO players came to us – but not to “cheat.” The game was simply unplayable for many (not all) players at that time. The actual reason why players used PokéVision was not to gain an advantage. The main reason was that they could play Pokémon GO more. That is what every player wants – to play Pokémon GO more.
When we closed PokéVision out of respect for your wishes (one came directly from you John), we trusted you 100% to allow the community to grow. I really can’t explain it any clearer – we just want to play the game. We can handle occasional bugs, but please at least tell us that you care. Yes, PokéVision gives players some advantages, but is that really TOO much; is it really THAT bad? Pokémon has survived for 20 years – it has even grown, I would say. Pokémon GO made it even bigger. If the argument is “Well, if you found a Snorlax that you shouldn’t actually find, but found it through PokéVision, then you will play less” – if that really is the argument, then I have to say that I disagree! I catch a damn Snorlax, even if I already have 20 of them. Just like millions of us probably caught over 100 Pidgeys or Zubats.
Pokémon is for eternity. The same 151 Pokémon have been around for 20 years now. Do 80 million downloads in a week (before the game was officially released in many major countries) not indicate that people can’t get enough of Pokémon?
After the Pokémon tracker in the game and PokéVision were disabled, the ratings in the stores of iOS and Android dropped from 4.0 stars to 1.0 – 1.5 stars. I am just one person and my personal opinion is not important, but what about the countless players who wish the game was back to how it was at the beginning? I may be biased when I say that the deactivation of PokéVision has to do with the bad reviews, the refund requests, and the uproar on social media – but could it be that there is some truth to it? Nothing else changed when the Pokémon tracker in the game and PokéVision were disabled. Could it be that the tracker, whether made by PokéVision or Niantic, is something that players need? Not “want” but NEED, to play the game? Could it be that this is one of the most important features that keeps many players in the game? I understand that there are players who just want to wander around, and stumble upon a Pokémon. But 50 million different users and 11 million a day, and the ratings of their app (which do not significantly change) are clear signs of this desire. Do users always know best? Especially when over half of the users are looking for a solution outside the game to enjoy something they love? People are inherently curious and in this case, they just want to play more and more. That’s why they were looking for something to help them play more and more.
This translation of the letter is not word for word but in spirit. You can read the full open letter here.
Why Niantic banned services like PokéVision was announced in a Facebook statement.
With our GO Map, you can see Pokémon on a live map. The data is entered manually by the community, and the locations are provided with a rating system to achieve high catch rates. Because these locations are entered manually, apps of this nature are permitted and currently a good way to find rare Pokémon in your area.
