'Pokémon Go' Update: Tracking Changes Show Pokémon Near PokéStops

Pokémon Go may be a long way from its peak in terms of active players, but there are still plenty of trainers out there trying to catch ‘em all. Those dedicated ones sticking with the game will have to deal with a tweak to the tracking system that shows nearby locations.

The revamped version of the ‘Nearby’ feature will now only show what is near a player if a PokéStop is close to their location. If in range of a PokéStop, players will be able to view Pokémon at the stop or near it.

The change should provide a better indication to players as to what is around them and where they should travel. However, for players in more rural locations where PokéStops are few and far between, the changes could leave them more in the dark as to where the pocket monsters they seek are located.

Some users have already noted a drop off in Pokémon sightings when not near a PokéStop, even in urban areas. “There could be a Snorlax 50 feet from you and the only information we're given is about the pidgeys 300 yards away by a stop,” one user wrote in a Reddit thread.

The change, first tested in San Francisco, is getting rolled out to players across parts of the United States, Canada, and Australia.

All states west of the Mississippi River, excluding Hawaii and Alaska, will get the update in the U.S.; Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the western half of Ontario will receive the update in Canada; all states and territories of Australia will experience the change.

For those not included in the update, the current ‘Sightings’ system will remain in place. This version of the feature shows Pokémon that are nearby but provides no indication as to where exactly they are located. Instead, the characters appear larger the closer a player gets to them or shrink and disappear if a player out of range.

Niantic, the developer of Pokémon Go, noted that user feedback led to the change and the company will continue to listen to players as they voice their opinions on various features. “Your feedback submitted to all of our official social media accounts and posted in other channels is important to us. We will continue to review community feedback and make changes if necessary,” the company said in a statement.