Trainers Discarding Beloved Pokemon Due to Failed Pokemon Go Feature

Niantic’s recent addition of the Backgrounds feature in Pokémon Go has not resonated with many players, who find the feature lacking in both rarity and interest. As a result, countless Trainers are choosing to transfer their so-called ‘special’ Pokémon, complete with Backgrounds, back to Professor Willow.

Cosmetic elements are crucial in many long-standing gaming franchises, effectively enticing players to invest more time and money into the gameplay. However, while some cosmetic enhancements hit the mark, the Backgrounds feature in Pokémon Go has seemingly missed the target, raising questions about its value.

Rethinking Pokémon Backgrounds: Should They Stay or Go?

In a discussion on the TheSilphRoad Reddit page, a player queried the community about their approach to handling Background Pokémon, expressing a tendency to keep all event Pokémon regardless of their utility.

What are you doing with the Community Day -background Pokemon? by u/Gary_Montana in TheSilphRoad

Responses from fellow players largely echoed the sentiment that Pokémon with Location or Special Backgrounds lack exclusivity, prompting most to suggest transferring them to Professor Willow. One player pointedly remarked, “Only Niantic says these are rare. The fact is EVERY player has one.” Another chimed in, noting, “They’ll slap the label of rare on something that literally everybody gets for playing.”

Conversely, a handful of users posited that exceptions exist, particularly for Pokémon that are Shiny, Hundo, or Legendary, which do retain some value. As one Trainer succinctly put it, “I’ve been deleting them. They are Pokémon I will never use or even look at. So why waste the space? If it was a good Legendary, then I might keep it.”

The primary limitation of Backgrounds stems from their visibility; users can only admire them by navigating to the Pokémon’s page. Unfortunately, the backgrounds are not viewable elsewhere in the game, nor are they preserved when the Pokémon is transferred to Pokémon Home. Furthermore, trading such creatures incurs a Special trade cost, adding to the discontent.

Nevertheless, there is potential for improvement. One suggestion from the community was intriguing: “They’d be more interesting if buddying with them would change your background in your trainer profile.” Such enhancements could elevate the feature’s relevance.

Given the lukewarm reception of the Backgrounds feature, Niantic may choose to reassess and refine it for future updates, ensuring it better serves the interests of players. For the present, players continue to send these Pokémon to Professor Willow for Candy rewards.

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