Pokémon Go players are tired of being shamed for playing through Niantic boycott

Pokémon Go players who still want to play despite all the outrage and boycotting because of Niantic’s decisions are tired of being shamed for going against the grain.

The aggrieved players rallied together to vent in a Reddit thread on May 9. As the player who kicked off the discussion explained, it’s unfair that some players feel like they have to quit due to pressure from others. It’s not that they don’t agree with the community. Instead, they just love the game too much to stop playing and want to be free to do so.

The same player also called on those who have been chastising others to stop. “If you really want to quit because you’ve just had enough of it, then that’s fine. However, if someone out there still loves playing Pokémon Go, I don’t think they should get chastised for their decision even if they also decide to put money into the game,” they said. Others agreed, saying everyone should be free to do as they please.

There was a debate about whether it was possible to separate the art from the artist, or in this case, the game from the company that developed it. Some said players can and should always separate them. Others insisted it wasn’t possible and that letting Niantic’s questionable decisions slide is simply harmful to the community.

In the end, it didn’t change the consensus that those who still want to play Pokémon Go should be free to enjoy it.

The caveat, however, was those players shouldn’t complain about the state of the game if they’re willing to keep supporting it. Doing so would be ironic, in some people’s views, especially if those players are expecting things to change for the better. But that doesn’t mean they should be harassed, either.

In many ways, Niantic’s decision to increase the cost of Remote Raid Passes and add a daily limit was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Thousands quit after that. But it’s not the only thing stopping them from coming back. According to some, the game has simply become repetitive, boring, and unrewarding too.

Either way, the mass exodus has taken a toll on the daily player count, and even caused Pokémon Go’s revenue to slump to the lowest it’s been in five years. Millions still play, though, and now that they’ve banded together to encourage others to keep playing if they want to there’s a chance those numbers could rise again—if only slightly.