It might be hard for some players to remember, but Pokemon Go actually used to let you track down and hunt the Pokemon that were near you. The three steps tracker was a fan-favorite, but was removed to help deal with the massive server load that happened upon the game’s first release. Since then only select areas have had access to the new tracker, which relies on Pokestops to tell you if a Pokemon is nearby. Now, Niantic has rolled the feature out the the entire US and much of Europe.
We’ve previously showed you how to use the new nearby tracker. The way it works is by telling you if a Pokemon is near a Pokestop that is close to you. You can then select it and see its exact location. This is quite different from the three steps tracker, which worked no matter what else was nearby, and would give you info on the nearest nine Pokemon. The new tracker has some major issues in rural areas, and will often neglect to tell you about Pokemon that are right next to you, in favor of one that is next to the Pokestop down the road.
Despite these criticisms, Niantic has went ahead with this rollout, promising to listen to feedback from everyone. Many feel that the feedback was already strong that this new nearby tracker was not a solution that many wanted, with more rural players even feeling like it functions worse than the horribly broken system that was left in the wake of the three step tracker. At least that would tell you what was actually near you, even if it wasn’t useful for tracking them down, they feel.
Those in cities might find it much better though, and that is where more players are located. Whether Niantic takes this feedback or not, for the time being players are stuck with this new nearby tracker. Let us know whether you love it or hate it in the comments below.
