'Pokémon Go' Update: Pokéstop submission may be open to the public soon, Niantic hints

Impact

Pokéstops and Gyms are two of the main ways that Pokémon Go players interact with the world in the game, providing helpful items and a place to prove your Pokémon's supremacy respectively. They're especially important because they're based on local landmarks in the player's area, but until recently there's been no way to control what gets turned into a Pokéstop or gym — they are what they are.

This may be changing soon, however.

Pokémon Go update: Niantic may let players start requesting Pokéstops soon

If you're wondering why a certain landmark isn't a Pokéstop, Niantic has stated that they're working on a way to let players suggest new Pokéstops in-game. Niantic tweeted the answer below in response to a tweet asking whether or not they took requests for Pokéstops.

This could be a major help for rural players, who tend to have far fewer Pokéstop options compared to people living in urban areas. Unfortunately, there's also a great risk of this feature being abused.

In a Silph Road post responding to the news, a user named mozarta1 raised doubts about peoples' ability to use the proposed requesting system responsibly:

I wonder how many people will just make a big sign at their own house or apartment and submit that for a Pokéstop. Enabl[ing] Pokéstop submissions really doesn't mean anything. 

For other players, however, it was a frustrating reminder that the game is basically unplayable in rural areas.

The Silph Road

Many users pointed out that arguing about how this feature would be good or bad was a moot point, as the vagueness of Niantic's tweet indicates that such an update is a long ways off — if it's even coming at all.

Still, some players will take what they can get. "It is certainly much stronger than 'we are aware of the community's interest in this feature,' which is what they said about changing moves," user goodlittlesquid wrote.

Hopefully Niantic will add this feature soon in order to alleviate some of the issues rural players continue to have with the game, but much like spoofing, they're going to have to tread carefully if they want to avoid it being used for ill.

More Pokémon Go news and coverage

If you're just booting up your Pokémon Go account, check out our first impressions of the Gen 2 update. You'll also want to learn more about the Unown and new evolutionary items like the Sun Stone and more. If you're looking for a list of evolutions that weren't initially revealed by Niantic, this article is your guide. 

If you're more interested in the main games, here's the latest on a possible Pokémon title on the Nintendo Switch: Pokémon Stars. And if you're itching to learn about the other mobile Nintendo games, check out our coverage of Fire Emblem Heroes and Super Mario Run.