Summary
The recently concluded Ultra Unlock event inPokemon GOdrew a lot of flak from the community, and it seems like Niantic might be on its way to making some changes to it in its upcoming iteration next year. The Ultra Unlock event is one of the oldest annual events inPokemon GOand players are always eagerly looking forward to it as it gives them a chance to get some extremely rare Pokemon.
The Ultra Unlock event is associated with Global Challenges every year and gives players an extra set of bonuses after the conclusion of the GO Fest. The event was held in three parts this year, and thedebut of Mega Lucario inPokemon GOwas the biggest highlight by far. However, the rest of the event turned out to be quite lackluster, and players felt that it fell pale in comparison to previous iterations. Fans have been quite vocal about their concerns with the event, and it seems like Niantic has taken note of it.
In a newinterview with Dot Esports,Pokemon GOdirector Michael Steranka sheds some light on Niantic’s plans around the Ultra Unlock event next year. Steranka reveals that the team was cognizant of thebacklash the event received from thePokemon GOcommunity. Additionally, the developers are also “taking into consideration” the feedback received from the community to ensure that future iterations of the event are better. However, Steranka also attributes some of the backlash to the rising expectations of the fanbase.
Niantic Attributes Pokemon GO Community’s Backlash to Rising Expectations
Steranka highlights thatPokemon GOevents are growing more and more rewardingeach day, which is making thePokemon GOplayer base anticipate even better rewards from future events. He states, “I think the reality here is, over the years, all of our regular events have become more and more exciting or generous, right? It used to be you’d have a two times Stardust event, and that was like a big deal for players, and now it’s normal you have a four times event.” However, he adds that it is common for such a long-running product to have such high community expectations, and the onus is on the developers to rise to the occasion and deliver.
All of our regular events have become more and more exciting or generous…
Steranka further adds that if the Ultra Unlock event was the one area where they fell short, then the team should look into community feedback to improve it. The specific details of what these improvements would entail weren’t revealed, however. While the Ultra Unlock events would comprise several new Pokemon, shiny, and regional debuts, this year players only gotMaushold inPokemon GOalongside shiny Togemaru and Mega Lucario. In contrast, the 2023 version had as many as 10 Pokemon and shiny debuts. How big of an overhaul the Ultra Unlock event will get next year remains to be seen.
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