If you follow any major Pokemon GO influencer or social media page, you will have spotted the #HearUsNiantic hashtag since the start of April 2023.
This hashtag may be a familiar sight for longtime players as it was used successfully in August 2021 to get Niantic to revert some of the post-pandemic changes. Most notably, this included restoring the increased PokeStop radius.
But why has this hashtag now returned almost two years later? And, more importantly, why is the Pokemon GO community so upset right now?
What is #HearUsNiantic?
#HearUsNiantic is a protest movement that was started by angry Pokemon GO players who want developer Niantic to listen to their concerns. Specifically, players demand that Niantic reconsiders the huge changes to Remote Raids that are coming on April 6.
These changes include an almost 2x price increase of Remote Raid Passes in the in-game Shop and limiting the number of Remote Raids players can take part in per day to 5.
Players sharing the #HearUsNiantic message believe these changes will harm the experience of every Pokemon trainer. Particularly those with disabilities, work or home commitments that limit their ability to travel while playing Pokemon GO, and players who live in rural areas will suffer the most from these changes.
Therefore, it is no surprise that players and prominent Pokemon GO community members have shared this message. This includes various high-profile community members from datamining website PokeMiners and PvP battle analyzer PvPoke.com, to content creators like JT Valor.
In addition to this hashtag, thousands of Pokemon GO players signed a petition to stop the Remote Raid Pass changes!
What Does the Pokemon GO #HearUsNiantic Campaign Want?
The #HearUsNiantic campaign, above all else, demands that the Pokemon GO developer listens to the disgruntled player base.
However, the campaign message that upset players are sharing also suggests some specific amendments to Niantic’s proposed Remote Raid changes.
Instead of forcing players to go outside with a daily limit on Remote Raids, #HearUsNiantic suggests increasing the rewards for battling in Raids in person. This would be in addition to the proposed XL Candy reward increase.
#HearUsNiantic believes that increased rewards for in-person Pokemon GO Raids will prove enticing enough to get more players outside. This is even if the number of Remote Raids per day stays unlimited.
Elite Raids requiring players to visit a Gym have already proved that people will go outside for good rewards. Therefore, this suggestion from #HearUsNiantic should get players out and about more!
Only time will tell whether Niantic listens to the #HearUsNiantic concerns about Pokemon GO. However, the developer is now running out of time with the April 6 Remote Raid update fast approaching.
If Niantic does not address these concerns promptly, many players will uninstall or boycott Pokemon GO this weekend. This would be a massive blow for the developer as the highly-anticipated Regieleki Elite Raids are happening on April 9!