Niantic, the developer of Pokémon Go, recently faced backlash from players after removing features from the game. The controversial changes included a daily limit for remote raid passes and a price increase, which aimed to restore in-person raiding as the main way to get powerful Pokémon, kicking remote raiding to the dust. While the company expected the changes to have a long-term sustainability impact, director of software engineering Ed Wu previously stated that the changes were “not going to create a short-term revenue impact.”
This move made the game less accessible for some players, resulting in an alleged drop in monthly revenue. Mobilegamer.biz said the game earned about $34.7 million in April, a significant decline from previous months. However, Niantic countered the claim, stating that their revenue was up compared to the same period in 2022. Plus, they got what they wanted — increased in-person raiding since the changes were introduced. Except, did they really? Protesting players are entirely skeptical about the veracity of this announcement.
Related: Pokémon GO players are going on a “strike” due to Niantic’s remote raids price increase
Pokémon Go Players Refuse to Believe Niantic’s Sales Aren’t Going Down
Niantic responded to claims that the revenue of Pokémon Go dropped significantly in April. The company stated that the claim was incorrect and their revenue was higher than last year. However, the statement did not refute that April’s app store revenue decreased.
The players’ reactions to Niantic’s denial of a financial decline are laced with anger and suspicion. They are highly doubtful of the company’s management revealing such information to their employees. According to the players, Niantic’s statement is likely scripted, and the company intentionally omits relevant facts. Despite Niantic’s claim that in-person raiding has increased, the players argue that this does not negate the overall decline in revenue. They are highly critical of the company’s handling of the situation and believe that Niantic’s response is a mere attempt to deceive its users.
Related: The 10 rarest Pokémon in Pokémon Go
Some players have decided to abandon the game in protest, which may have contributed to the recent drop in revenue. However, it is unclear if the controversy is the sole reason for the decline. Despite this, the tension within the community continues to grow, and it is evident that some players have not taken well to the changes or Niantic’s lack of transparency.
