Pokemon Go To Remove Shared AR Feature, & Nobody Knows What That Means

gamepur.com:

Niantic Support announced that Pokemon Go will stop supporting the Shared AR Buddy Experience feature starting with the next app update Based on player reactions, it seems getting rid of this little-known feature is a good move.

Over the last few years, fans have had mixed reactions to some of the features added to Pokemon Go, particularly buggy ones like Routes. Even so, Niantic seems more prone to adding on than removing or adjusting features, which makes it a little surprising to see their announcement about removing the Shared AR Buddy Experience. If you’re wondering what the heck that is, you’re not alone.

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Niantic Nixes Shared AR Buddy Experience

Niantic Support announced on X (formerly Twitter) that, starting with the next update, players will no longer be able to use the Shared AR Buddy feature.

In response, players primarily had one thing to say, and that was “Um, what is the Shared AR Buddy Experience?” Even as someone who has been playing from the very beginning, I have no idea what Shared AR is or what it was used for in the game.

In case you are as confused as I was, let’s briefly cover what the Shared AR Buddy Experience was. This was yet another feature designed to get players to meet up IRL. You could scan a QR code and then take photos of your own and your friend’s Pokemon in an AR experience that was, as the name suggests, shared. While a virtual Pokemon photoshoot sounds fun in theory, it doesn’t reflect the reality of many Pokemon Go players, who are more connected with the online community than with anyone IRL.

Not surprisingly, fans are mostly in agreement that no one is going to be too upset with Niantic