With all the positive hype surrounding Pokemon GO lately, it was due for a bit of bad press.
Some Pokemon GO players are up in arms after the game’s latest update rendered the game unplayable on jailbroken (rooted or unlocked) phones. Niantic did warn users that this would happen ahead of the update’s release. That, of course, hasn’t stopped users from crying foul.
Players on rooted phones are greeted with the message, “This device, OS, or software is not compatible with Pokémon Go.” They will have no way of bypassing this message unless they either restore their phones (massive pain in the ass) or revert back to a version prior to the latest (0.37.0 for Android, 1.7.0 for iOS).
Almost predictably, players affected by the update have responded with demands for refunds. One particular thread on Reddit chronicles user GnothiSeauton’s quest to get a refund from Google customer service.
“I wouldn’t have had a problem with [the update blocking unlocked phones] if they blocked rooted users from launch,” he said. “However, doing it 2 months into the [game] show after rooted users have invested time and money into the game, is completely unscrupulous.”
The ability to get a refund will only apply to players who spent money on the free-to-play game. The success rate of this recourse, however, is spotty at best.
Niantic insists that the barring of unlocked phones is part of their ongoing effort to prevent cheating and increase security in Pokemon GO. Whether unlocking a phone allows cheaters to game their system is pure speculation, but users unlock their phones for much different reasons. I have rooted my Android phones immediately after purchasing them, as many users do, because I want to make them more customizable and rid myself of the bloatware my carriers always add to them. The fact that Niantic wants to punish these people (I stopped playing long ago) by locking them out is unfortunate.
There are workarounds available for Android users, assuming players are willing to jump through hoops. Website Android Police has a guide to bypass the root check using a third-party program called Magisk. This is a remedy, but will annoy players who just want to fire up the app and catch another 75 Ratatas and Pidgeys.
This speed bump comes at an inopportune time for Niantic. Pokemon GO is looking at a bit of a resurgence. The latest update adds a buddy system to the game and support for the new Pokemon GO Plus Bluetooth device. In addition, Apple announced Apple Watch support for Pokemon GO during their last press conference. It’d be a shame if the game’s second life is cut short with more Niantic shenanigans.
