Angry Pokemon Go Fans Demand Refunds Following Controversial Niantic Update
Many customers are upset by the latest Pokémon GO update. Some ticked off redditors have reported that they have received full refunds for the purchases of the Pokémon GO app, since the game is no longer working in the manner they originally anticipated.
When the game was first released there were “footsteps” that indicated how far away a Pokémon was from the user. One footstep meant that the Pokémon was close, while three steps indicated that the Pokémon was far away. There were several bugs with this tracker system. All nearby Pokémon had three footsteps underneath them while still getting picked up on the tracker.
This past weekend, instead of fixing the bug, Niantic eliminated the tracker footsteps altogether. Niantic’s new update has also made sites like Pokévision obsolete. These tools let users know what Pokémon were in the area and how long they would remain. Pokévision and related sites no longer work and players must now guess how far away Pokémon are from their current location.
Reddit user ultraelitedd reported that they were recently refunded all of the money the have spent on the game from the Apple Store. In order to get the refund they told Apple, “a game that tracks pokemon, now has no means whether in-game or third party to track the Pokemon is a change in game function. The update changed how the main game is played in terms of tracking.”
The same user reported that purchases made within the last two weeks will be instantly refunded, while older purchases will be refunded in five to seven days. Apple will receive the refund from Niantic, and a customer’s information will not be revealed. Those who have spent $5 USD or more will need to speak directly with an Apple representative. Android users can achieve similar results by requesting a refund via your Play Store account.
