Pokémon GO no longer compatible with old mobiles

Bad news for some mobile Pokemon GO players: the game will soon no longer be compatible with phones that are too old. Developed by Niantic, the game was a hit when it was released in 2016. With a revolutionary concept that maximises the potential of augmented reality, it invited players to explore the surrounding area in search of precious Pokémon.
Today, the hype has died down and the number of players has nothing to do with the statistics of the beginning. Also, the pandemic and containment episode has not helped things lately. But there is still an active community that enjoys the regular updates and seasons that punctuate the life of the game.

While the updates are highly anticipated by players, the one that will implement version 0.189 will be fatal for some. There is no exact date yet, but Niantic preferred to warn its community. This should make the pill go down better.

A game that requires a lot of configuration

While Pokémon was a childhood favourite for many gamers, Pokémon GO is a very modern game. It connects the real world as closely as possible to the universe Pokémon thanks to augmented reality. The details are even more impressive since the game has incorporated occlusion technology. This technology integrates lines of sight and takes angles into account. It allows Pokémon to be partially hidden in the real-life setting (tree branches, bushes or even mailboxes).

However, the downside is that as time goes on, the system requirements become more demanding. While some phones have become true handheld consoles, others are not particularly suited to gaming. For this reason, some will need to invest in a new phone to play with if they want to remain compatible with Pokémon GO.

Which phones will no longer be compatible with Pokémon GO?

We already know which mobiles will no longer be compatible with Pokémon GO. These are devices (phones or tablets) that run on Android 5, iOS 10 or iOS11. You should therefore check the product sheet of your devices to see if the update threatens you. More specifically, it also excludes iPhone 5S and iPhone 6.

While much of the community will be able to continue playing without fear, others may not be so happy. A new mobile phone can be a big investment... Some may not be able to afford a phone that is compatible with Pokémon GO.