Niantic Sets the Record Straight: No Intrusive Ads Coming to Pokémon GO!

by

Summary

  • Niantic has denied a recent leak suggesting it’s adding intrusive ads to Pokemon GO.
  • While the company acknowledged that the latest build of the game includes a list of some major ad networks, it noted that it doesn’t actually implement any of them.
  • The list itself was included in a third-party library that Pokemon GO utilizes, and is “standard industry practice,” Niantic says.

In simpler terms, Niantic, the creators of Pokemon GO, have debunked a recent claim about intrusive advertisements being introduced in the game. They also clarified the reason behind some players mistakenly believing that there were changes in the game’s data.

On March 28, researchers at The Pokemod Group revealed that the updated version of Niantic’s popular mobile game now supports multiple major ad networks. These include GoogleAdMob, IronSource, ApplovinMax, Fyber, Appodeal, Admost, Topon, Tradplus, Yandex, DirectMonetization, and several others. This information was found in the game’s data files. The revelation garnered around 180,000 views within a day of being posted, causing some Pokemon GO players to worry about potential future declines in game quality.

According to Niantic’s Director of Communications Mark Van Lommel, the fears about intrusive ads in Pokemon GO are baseless. He made this statement to Screen Rant and emphasized that such ads will not be a part of Pokemon GO, neither now nor in the future. Although leaks from The Pokemod Group’s Pokemon GO have generally been trustworthy, it appears that their recent findings were misinterpreted. Van Lommel explained that the latest version of a third-party library used by the game only contains references to common ad networks, but it does not include the actual systems for delivering ads.

Pokemon GO’s Ad Network References Are ‘Standard Industry Practice,’ Niantic Says

Van Lommel referred to the new collection of ad networks as “typical industry procedure.” He emphasized that the appearance of this list does not imply any intentions to alter the way the Pokemon GO team manages advertising. The source behind the change in the third-party library was not specified by him. The initial report from the Pokemod Group sparked debate due to fueling concerns among fans that Scopely’s acquisition of Pokemon GO could negatively impact the game. However, with this recent statement from Niantic, it has been made clear that any speculation regarding increased advertising in the popular mobile game is unfounded.

We will not be bringing intrusive ads to Pokémon GO, not now, not ever.

A recent exploration by Pokemod Group has unearthed a possible contentious feature for Pokemon GO that’s currently being developed. Based on data mining conducted in mid-March 2025, Niantic is apparently developing a “Hyper Training Service” system. This system would permit the enhancement of creature stats using a new currency called Bottle Caps, eventually enabling any creature to have flawless stats. This revelation has sparked worries among fans that the game might become more pay-to-win.

If the rumors about the development of the Hyper Training Service are true, past patterns suggest that the feature might be integrated into the game soon, as a reference to it has been discovered for the first time. So far, Niantic has remained silent regarding this specific leak.

Read More

2025-03-29 16:39