Pokemon GO‘s yearly limited-time event, Adventure Week, has always been a fan favorite, offering players the chance to catch rare Pokemon and participate in exciting challenges. However, this year’s event announcement has left the community feeling disappointed and frustrated, as Niantic seems to have prioritized its financial gains over the best interests of its players.
The official announcement of the highly-anticipated event has been met with an immediate backlash from the Pokemon GO community, who wasted no time in expressing their discontent with the changes made to the event.
Pokemon GO Adventure Week 2024: A Huge Step Backwards
One of the main points of contention is the fact that this year’s Adventure Week is essentially a carbon copy of the 2023 event, but with some notable changes that have only made matters worse.
Players have been quick to point out that some of the special spawns, which were previously available in the wild, have now been locked behind 7 km eggs:
Shiny boosted mons not spawning in the wild and locked to field research, which will mostly be “walk X km” because of Adventure Week. I’m not even surprised 💀😂
— tridentxan (@tridentxan) July 24, 2024
Eggs in Pokemon GO have long been a source of frustration for players, as they are a form of chance, with no guarantee of hatching the desired Pokemon.
The decision to lock certain spawns behind these eggs has only added fuel to the fire, with players mocking the odd choice of featured Pokemon that goes against the very theme of Adventure Week:
Bunnelby! Ah yes…my favorite fossil and adventure week spawn 😂
— FleeceKing (@ItsFleeceKing) July 24, 2024
Furthermore, the increased odds for shiny versions of the event’s featured Pokemon, which were previously available in the wild, have now been limited to eggs and research tasks.
This change has left many players feeling cheated and disappointed, as they had been eagerly awaiting the event for months.
This is the first Adventure Week event since its inception in 2017 where there is zero new content whatsoever. The 2017 event featured the OG Kanto Pokémon, so that was special. But this is an unfortunate precedent to set, @NianticLabs.
— Björno Bodhisattva (@cafelebee) July 24, 2024
As is evident from @cafelebee’s comment, the lack of new content in this year’s Adventure Week has not gone unnoticed either.
Community Backlash and Calls for Change
Adventure Week has historically been one of the most exciting and anticipated events in the Pokemon GO calendar.
However, this year’s lackluster offerings have left many players feeling like Niantic has failed to deliver. As one player succinctly put it:
Way to kill what's historically been one of the best events of the year
— manintheplanet (@manintheplanet1) July 24, 2024
Many others mourn the loss of what was once one of the most exciting events of the year:
The one event that you make longer than a week that is historically always exciting has become super lackluster.
— PorkChop715 | Sonny (@PorkChop715) July 24, 2024
What was previously wild spawns last year are now locked behind eggs. This is not the move, Niantic. Do better.
The overwhelming negative feedback has left many wondering: will Niantic take a step back to reevaluate its strategies and make the necessary changes to address the community’s concerns?
In recent times, we’ve seen other gaming companies, such as Respawn Entertainment with Apex Legends, listen to their player base and make adjustments to controversial monetization decisions.
So, it remains to be seen if Niantic will follow suit and prioritize the best interests of its community over its financial gains. As the backlash continues to grow, the pressure is on for the company to take action and restore the excitement and enjoyment that Adventure Week has traditionally brought to Pokemon GO players.
What do you think about this year’s Adventure Week event in Pokemon GO? Do you agree that Niantic has prioritized its financial gains over the best interests of its community? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!
