"Pokemon Go" players have started a petition against Niantic's looming new speed cap feature, something that could hinder game playing commuters and passengers. (Photo : Getty Images/Billy H.C. Kwok)
“Pokemon Go” has brought up various features though some have not gained lauding. One feature is the speed cap employed by Niantic, which could be taken out if the petition being passed out gains ground.
Niantic has been aggressively rolling out new features the past week for “Pokemon Go” and moves that are aimed to spur up player interest. Most have been useful, but something had to give. However, as it turned out, this is with regards to the speed cap which was meant to discourage playing while driving.
The speed cap is the last try of Niantic to regulate the pace at which “Pokemon Go” players carry out their pocket monster hunting activities. Aside from looking out for the safety of the drivers, various ways of cheating is also likely the intent.
However, the speed cap for “Pokemon Go” lacks the proper definition of who should be covered. Affected are actual passengers and individuals who commute to work and will be applied globally, though further details have not been disclosed yet, the Mainichi Shimbun reported.
Right now, the speed cap for “Pokemon Go” seems to be affecting Japan with some already encountering issues at PokeStops. Players who use the train are now unable to spin at PokeStops which may be a disappointment if done globally.
Niantic did try to pull off something similar some months back, applying a 25 MPH cap. The result then was the disappearance of ‘sightings’ even if players tapped on the message “I am a passenger”.
Aside from the speed cap, Niantic also tried out a controversial Captcha-based feature for “Pokemon Go”. Like the initial speed cap feature, that too was eventually taken out due to complaints and disrupted play.
Right now, there is a fair chance that the looming speed cap for “Pokemon Go” may be taken out, and players have already started a petition over at Change.org. To date, there are reportedly over 1,556 supporters to the petition, with the number expected to grow once the speed cap is activated on other regions.
The speed cap applied for “Pokemon Go” is more than likely to be taken out as Niantic continues to find ways to grow its player base. After reeling in back players thanks to their Halloween in-game event, the last thing that AR company would want to do is drive them away once more.
The video below touches on the speed cap as well as other new features for "Pokemon Go".
