Pokemon Go is still going from strength to strength, and after six years, Niantic’s mobile game is as popular as ever. In July, the game saw the return of in-person Go Fest events after a two-year hiatus due to the global pandemic.
Since releasing for iOS and Android in 2016, Pokemon GO has managed to draw in millions of players from across the globe. Players use their smart devices to hunt down creatures from the Pokemon franchise to complete their very own Pokedex. Managing a high volume of players as they try to catch, battle, and trade monsters is no simple task, and sometimes strange things start to happen that cause the game to act peculiarly.
One such issue was encountered by a trainer on Reddit named ComprehensiveWater59. In the short clip posted to the social media site, the player shows a unique view of a wild Grovyle from above. While the camera angle didn’t go into its usual position, ComprehensiveWater59 still attempts to catch the monster by throwing several Poke Balls at the creature from a top-down perspective. Despite multiple tries, involving several attempts at careful aiming and using the curveball throw technique in Pokemon GO, each one sadly sails wide of the target.
It's not all bad news as the trainer later explains, restarting the encounter allowed them to capture the monster and add it to the team. Players aren’t sure how the glitch occurred but was nevertheless rooting for the trainer to make the catch with numerous comments showing support.
Bugs can show up in any game and the community of players is generally quick to report them, but Niantic has often been at the center of criticism for its slowness to fix the issues. Players are often vocal about persisting errors with fake gyms appearing and the PVP battle league’s continued connection issues. Earlier this year, the Pokemon Go developer caused further frustration when it nerfed incense modules causing gamers to miss out on encounters especially those in more rural areas.
Despite the unique bugs found in-game and divisive changes, Pokemon GO continues to evolve. Niantic is constantly trying new ideas such as time-limited challenges and rewards through Amazon Prime. Outside of the mobile space, Nintendo and Game Freak are busy preparing the next generation of the mainline series. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will release in November on the Nintendo Switch and will likely be celebrated in Pokemon GO later in the year.
Pokemon GO is available now on mobile devices.