Skip to main content

Pokémon No Day: Why fans are boycotting Pokémon Go today

Pokémon Go fans are boycotting the popular mobile video game today with a protest dubbed Pokémon No Day. The boycott, which has gained traction on Twitter, is intended to speak out against Niantic rolling back the game’s COVID-19 friendly updates.

As the world fell into a lockdown in 2020, Pokémon Go developer Niantic had to act fast. Pokémon Go used to require that players go outside and walk around to catch some Pokémon. However, with COVID-19 spreading, doing so became dangerous. To keep players playing, Niantic opted to make it possible to play Pokemon Go from home. However, the developer is now rolling back those changes, even as a new Delta variant of the virus spreads. Understandably, fans are not happy and are taking today to boycott the game.

Recommended Videos

Last year, Niantic rolled out a suite of features that made it easier for Pokemon Go players to play from home. The developer let players access raid battles from their couches instead of rushing to meet other players in a single location. However, the biggest change made to the game came to its Go Battle League. Previously, this feature required players to walk a whopping three kilometers to participate.

These changes, and others that let players access Pokéstops, are now being rolled back by Niantic. Speaking to Polygon, the company explained that “Going outside and spinning PokéStops and Gyms is important to our mission because it encourages exploration of the world. These locations are local points of interest in a community and could be historical landmarks, art installations, local businesses, and more.”

It's unfortunate that @NianticLabs has decided that the pandemic is over, that we're no longer in danger, and that the disabled folks who were finally able to take part no longer are welcome.

Well then.

They get no more of my money, or my ad clicks.#PokemonNoDay#PokemonNoGo https://t.co/qK6LAxAKbK

— Find Nome on Bluesky (@NomeDaBarbarian) August 5, 2021

However, COVID-19 hasn’t gone away just yet. The virus’ new Delta variant, which proves to be more transmissible and can even infect vaccinated people, is currently spreading across the U.S. It’s worth noting that a majority of the victims of this version of the virus are unvaccinated, and that vaccinated people have a largely reduced chance of being hospitalized or being seriously ill. Regardless, the virus is still here and represents enough of a clear and present danger that multiple states across the U.S are reinforcing mask mandates. Some are taking precautions a step further, like New York, where in New York City customers cannot enter movie theaters, gyms, or restaurants without proof of vaccination.

Still, Niantic is determined to roll back its COVID changes to Pokémon Go, and as a result, players have started Pokémon No Day. For today, players are staying off the game, with some promising that they are dropping Pokémon Go altogether. For now, it doesn’t seem like the boycott is going to receive much attention from Niantic, with the reinstatement of former COVID-19 adjustments to the game increasingly unlikely.

Otto Kratky
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Otto Kratky is a freelance writer with many homes. You can find his work at Digital Trends, GameSpot, and Gamepur. If he's…
How Monster Hunter Now distills massive battles down to 75-second fights
Monster Hunter Now being played horizontally.

Capcom and Niantic are collaborating on Monster Hunter Now, a new, real-world mobile RPG following in the footsteps of titles like Pokémon Go and NBA All-World. Players will be able to explore their neighborhood, alone or with friends, find materials, and fight monsters at locations near them. An open beta for the game begins later this month ahead of a full launch in September, but that comes after a four-year development cycle and a lot of work in refining the core gameplay loop of Monster Hunter into a very different style of game.

Monster Hunter Now - Teaser Trailer | Available September 2023

Read more
NBA All-World aims to replicate Pokémon Go’s success starting today
A player walks around their neighborhood's map in NBA All-World.

Niantic launched NBA All-World, its basketball-themed, location-based mobile game, on iOS and Android today. Ahead of this release, Digital Trends attended a presentation to learn more about how the sports AR title works.
If you've played any of Niantic's games before, many elements of NBA All-World will feel quite familiar. The mobile game tracks players' location and encourages them to explore. While doing so, players will find Drop Zones that grant them new gear. Niantic says Drop Zones will often be placed near real-world counterparts, so players can find money near a bank or shoes near a shoe store. 
There will also be Player Encounters, where they can face off against current NBA athletes. Niantic tells Digital Trends that classic athletes aren't currently in the game, but feels that idea "is a good one." 

In Player Encounters, users face off against athletes in one of four minigames: 3-Point Shootout, Beat the Clock, Around the World, and First-to-Five. While they feature some impressive and realistic animation for a mobile game, Niantic says these minigames only use simple swipe controls because the studio wanted to make something that is easy to play while someone is walking around their neighborhood. If a user wins a Player Encounter, they can recruit that athlete to their team, customize them with items found at Drop Zones, and upgrade them by playing with them. Players can also challenge players they already recruited again to earn more currency. 
The title also includes "Rule the Court" neighborhood leaderboards, many of which are placed at real-world basketball courts, where players can compete for the highest score. Currently, there are no player-versus-player elements in NBA All-World, although Niantic understands players like competitive modes in their sports games and may add them in the future. In fact, many features are still in the pipeline for post-launch updates, including Niantic's trademark AR support. Early in the second quarter of 2023, Niantic plans on adding AR support to NBA All-World to enhance the loot drops from Drop Zones to make it look like they're happening in the real world.
One thing that will be in the game at launch is microtransactions, which Niantic says will be similar to the ones available in its other games and allow players to increase their athletes' stats with Offense, Defense, and Fitness boosts. 
Despite the undeniable success of Pokémon Go, Niantic has never been able to completely replicate its success with games like Harry Potter: Wizards Unite or Pikmin Bloom. However, the studio seems confident that basketball has the global mass appeal to make NBA All-World another massive hit for the company. The early footage we saw of the game does leave us optimistic for NBA All-World's prospects, but we'll ultimately have to wait and see if the game will make it past its rookie season. 
NBA All-World is available now for iOS and Android.

Read more
Pokémon showed why it’s still unstoppable in 2022
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet protagonist holding glowing Poke Ball

Remember Temtem, the monster-taming MMO that got its 1.0 release earlier this year? Don't feel too bad if you don't.

What was once hailed as the "Pokémon killer" officially launched in September too little fanfare. Despite the initial spike in interest after its early access release, it didn't quite reach the cultural status of the game it was trying to build on. Meanwhile, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet broke records as Nintendo's fastest-selling games of all time, despite being the most heavily criticized entries in the series' history due to performance issues and glitches. Not even bad press could keep Pikachu down.

Read more