New 'Pokémon Go' update makes it much harder to cheat
Almost a month after the app took the world by storm, Pokémon Go has now been updated with some major changes that should make it more difficult to cheat in the game.
Developer Niantic pushed out versions 1.1.0 and 1.1.1 of the game over the weekend, and there are some notable upgrades and downgrades.
For starters, the footprints that used show up below Pokémon inside of the "Nearby" section of the game have been removed.
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Players had complained that the footprints system didn't make any sense. Some claimed it just didn't work. It was believed the number of footprints (1-3) was supposed to show how close you were to a Pokémon.
Speaking from experience, I can't say the footprints mechanic ever worked. Good riddance!
Another feature that got removed was the battery saver mode. With battery saver mode turned on, the screen would go black when your phone was held upside down, and then it'd vibrate only when a new Pokémon spawned or when you were at a PokéStop.
Also speaking from experience, the mode frequently glitched and didn't work. Sayonara. You're better off getting a battery pack or battery case for your phone to extend playing time.
With version 1.1.0, you can also re-tweak your Pokémon trainer avatar. Previously, you couldn't. You were stuck with whatever look you picked at the beginning. It's a good change.
Niantic also adjusted a number of Pokémon stats in an effort to balance the game.
With the rebalancing, Vaporeon is no longer a steamroller.
The most controversial change to Pokémon Go might be the nuking of third-party Pokémon tracking services like the popular PokéVision, which showed maps for where to find the monsters.
The site, which used to have a map populated with Pokémon, states its "services are currently unavailable" and to defer to its Twitter.
To be fair, Pokémon-tracking services aren't technically cheats. They're more like game guides. But, hey, any violation of the game's terms and services is a violation.
Mashable has reached out to Niantic for comment on Pokémon-tracking services like PokéVision and will update this story if we hear back.
Topics Pokemon
Raymond Wong is Mashable's Senior Tech Correspondent. He reviews gadgets and tech toys and analyzes the tech industry. Raymond's also a bit of a camera geek, gamer, and fine chocolate lover. Before arriving at Mashable, he was the Deputy Editor of NBC Universal's tech publication DVICE. His writing has appeared on G4TV, BGR, Yahoo and Ubergizmo, to name a few. You can follow Raymond on Twitter @raywongy or Instagram @sourlemons.
