Pokemon GO’s New and Returning Player Experience Isn’t Great, But Niantic Wants to Fix That

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Wow, can you believe Pokémon GO is almost ten years old? That’s amazing for Niantic, but it also means the game has changed so much since it first came out in 2016. Honestly, if you’re like me and either haven’t played in a while or are just starting, getting into it now feels a little daunting. There’s a ton of stuff to learn, with all the new features and systems they’ve added over the years. It can be a bit overwhelming, for sure. The good news is Niantic knows this and is working on making the experience better for players like us!

TopMob recently interviewed Michael Steranka, Product Vice President at Niantic, during the Pokemon GO Tour in Los Angeles. They discussed the game’s current status and future plans. Steranka emphasized that improving the experience for both new and returning players is a key focus, particularly as Pokemon GO approaches its 10-year anniversary and Niantic aims to support the game for another decade.

Niantic Has Plans to Improve Pokemon GO’s New and Returning Player Experience

When Pokemon GO first came out in 2016, it was a pretty straightforward game. It was mainly designed to get people outdoors, socializing, and enjoying the fun of collecting Pokemon using the new technology of augmented reality. Long-time Pokemon fans likely found it easy to get into, since they already understood how to catch Pokemon and knew the different creatures. But even players new to Pokemon probably found Pokemon GO easy to learn, simply because the beginning stages of the game were so simple.

When Pokemon GO first launched, it was simple and easy to pick up. Now, the game has grown massively, with over 930 different Pokemon to discover and a lot of complex features to learn. New players are quickly faced with things like Buddy Pokemon, Field Research tasks, battles with Team GO Rocket, challenging raids, and Link Charges – it can be overwhelming!

Image via Scopely

Balancing Pokemon GO’s Aim for Longevity With Its Barrier to Entry

One of the biggest challenges with Pokémon GO isn’t just how much content there is or the complexity of the gameplay. It’s also the incredibly diverse player base – people of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels. This makes it tough for Niantic to create a game that’s welcoming to everyone, including those who are completely new or haven’t played in a long time. When asked about how they plan to make the game more accessible for players of all levels, Steranka responded:

One of the biggest challenges with a game that’s been around for as long as ours is catering to such a diverse player base. We’ve been around for ten years now, and we have players from all walks of life – different ages, backgrounds, and with very different preferences. Building a game experience that everyone can enjoy is incredibly difficult because of this variety.

Live-service games often face a difficult balancing act: they need to keep players happy, stay within budget and technical limits, and still be welcoming to newcomers. This is especially true for Pokémon GO, which has consistently adapted based on player feedback, making the challenge even bigger.

However, Niantic is fully aware of this problem and is committed to improving it. Steranka, a VP at the company, was very open about his own view of the experience for new and returning Pokémon GO players, admitting it’s a flaw he recognizes internally rather than a complaint they’ve received from fans. He went on to explain further:

We’ve realized the game isn’t quite balanced as it is, and we’re working hard to improve the experience for new and returning players. Specifically, we want to address frustrating situations, like encountering a Dynamax Pokémon that feels unbeatable. Making the game more welcoming and enjoyable for everyone – including those who haven’t played in years – will be a key priority for us moving forward.

Steranka didn’t share details on how Niantic will make Pokémon GO more accessible, but it’s good news for players who’ve wanted to start or return to the game, hoping to relive the excitement of 2016. If Pokémon GO wants to remain popular for another ten years, making it easier for new and returning players to jump in might be as crucial – or even more so – than adding new features.

While new features like Super Mega Raids and deeper player-versus-player battles keep dedicated fans engaged, the future of Pokemon GO relies on attracting new players. With so many Pokemon and complex game systems, it’s important that the game feels welcoming, not intimidating, to newcomers. If Niantic can make it easy for new players to understand what to do, Pokemon GO could enjoy another decade of success, feeling like a game everyone can join and enjoy at any time, rather than a difficult challenge.

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2026-02-26 14:04