Niantic Confirms Pokemon Go’s New Avatars are Here to Stay

The fanbase had a vitriolic reaction to the changes made to Pokemon Go’s avatars, but it is unlikely that the old system will be reinstated in the near future.

The constantly evolving nature of Pokemon Go as a live service means that it is always changing, with regular updates of new content and improvements to current features. As a result, players often voice dissatisfaction with any changes, regardless of how small or unimportant they may seem.

In 2024, the avatar update for Pokemon Go sparked a significant amount of backlash. This update completely revamped the visuals for player character models, including changes to their body shape and clothing. These modifications were heavily criticized by the fanbase, particularly because they altered items that players had previously purchased.

Niantic / The Pokemon Company

Pokemon Go players have complained about the avatar changes since they were rolled out

Fans’ last remaining hope was that Niantic would add the option to use old avatars. However, in an interview with Dot Esports, Pokemon Go director Michael Steranka confirmed that this will not be happening for the time being. According to Steranka, the team is fully committed to the new avatars.

According to Steranka, one of the pieces of feedback we received was from players who wanted to have access to the original avatars. In response, we made adjustments to the different options available and introduced a way for players to manually achieve a closer resemblance to the original avatars.

“While it may not be an exact one-to-one match, I do believe there are viable options for those truly interested in achieving a similar level of closeness.”

It is disappointing news for fans who were hoping for a return to the earlier days of Pokemon Go. Many were optimistic that the modifications would be reversed or that there would be an alternative to switch between them. This is especially true considering that the Team Rocket Go members continue to utilize the original designs, so it seems fair to maintain consistency among all characters.

Despite Sternaka’s acknowledgement that the Pokemon Go team was considering fan feedback regarding the avatar situation, it seems that the response did not significantly influence the direction of the game. This was one of the rare instances where the audience was united in their disapproval of something.

Pokemon Go enthusiasts will need to accept their new avatars as they are, or at least be able to endure their presence whenever they appear on the screen.