A New, Safer Pokemon GO Device Might Be In The Works
By Rob Gordon 27 January 2017
The Pokemon Company president Tsunekazu Ishihara reveals that a new Pokemon GO device may be in the works, with the president citing safety concerns when playing the game.
To say that Pokemon GO has taken plenty of players out into new locations is something of an understatement. A recent study has estimated that 144 billion steps have been taken playing the game, although some of those steps have taken players into the wrong places. It’s because of this that Nintendo and The Pokemon Company are considering launching another peripheral for the third-party game.
That is, according to Pokemon Company president Tsunekazu Ishihara. In recent interview with Nikkei, Ishihara explained that The Pokemon Company and Nintendo are thinking about developing another device for Pokemon GO. The president stated that the companies are “thinking of developing a new device that can be played more safely.”
Since the game launched, there have been multiple instances that have called into question safety concerns with Pokemon GO. “We intended to make a game for people to play outdoors, instead of at home,” said the president in the interview. “The potential that players could become too involved in playing the game [that they might walk into danger] was already an issue at an early stage.” Apparently, a way to combat this long-term could be a new device.
The device in question will be a follow-up to the Pokemon GO Plus, which launched last year. Ishihara explained that part of the reason that the Plus was created was to make sure that players “do not have to always be looking down at their smartphone screens,” but apparently an upgrade may well be on the cards.
However, both The Pokemon Company and Nintendo may want to iron out some of the issues that the Pokemon GO Plus suffered from upon release, such as the peripheral’s issues with Android. Distribution may also be something that is improved upon, with a limited number of devices available resulting in high-price eBay sales plaguing the Pokemon GO fanbase. Nintendo did speak up about the Pokemon GO Plus shortages, but those looking to get their hands on this potential new device may have to be quick to get a confirmed purchase.
A safety-focused Pokemon GO device would certainly go a long way to ease some of the fears of families, with Pokemon GO tied to a number of accidents since its release. With the title seeing other upgrades that could help players, such as improved GPS tracking, there’s certainly room for Pokemon GO players to enjoy a safer experience when playing the game.
Pokemon GO is available now for Android and iOS devices.
