Pokemon Go is one of the most used, and most profitable apps of 2016. It has been downloaded over 500 million times worldwide since its launch, and has received praise for its concept and incentivising people to get out and be more active. The newest update, however, has caused problems with the Pokemon Go Plus companion device.
The game has had a number of updates since release, with varying levels of success. There has been a few glitches with the software in the past, including one which rendered the game’s tracking system for finding wild Pokemon useless. Also, a bug led to players finding their caught Pokemon being replaced for another random one. The newest Pokemon Go update, 0.43.3 for Android and 1.13.3 for iOS, adds to this list.
Players who use the Pokemon Go Plus companion device, a wearable item that allows the user to perform certain actions without checking their smart phone, have reported that the game no longer recognizes the device, even when it states it is connected. Restarting your phone, and even unpairing the Pokemon Go Plus has no effect.
The game’s developer, Niantic, is already aware of the issue. Posting on Twitter, the developer noted version 0.43.4 and 1.13.4 is to be made available very soon, and contains “minor bug fixes.”
Niantic are in a battle to keep players engaged with the augmented reality app. Rumors of player battles and Daily Quests being introduced in the near future may keep interest levels up, but bugs such as this one involving the Pokemon Go Plus only highlight the hurdles that must be overcome to keep Pokemon Go at the top of the app charts.