As always, I love to hear from our readers here at Johto Times who share some great things for our mailbag, and it’s a pleasure to share them with other like-minded people. This week I am really happy to see a letter from Tristan, a familiar face and supporter of the Johto Times who has sent in a question!

If you could go back and change any one game, which one would it be and how would you change it?

Tristan Steffen, North Carolina, United States

Pokémon GO Fest was completely reimagined in 2020, allowing players to take part from their homes

Hey Tristan! It’s fantastic to hear from you again, and thank you for your question! If I was fortunate to ever work on a Pokémon game, I would choose Pokémon GO. When the COVID-19 pandemic came in, Pokémon GO had to reinvent itself. A game which encouraged you to go outside and explore suddenly needed you to stay at home. The game was adapted so that people could still enjoy the game, and as a consequence, allowed people who normally wouldn’t have been able to play Pokémon GO to get involved.

When government-mandated restrictions were eased and Pokémon GO reversed its changes, many players who were able to enjoy the game thanks to the new features were suddenly unable to play the game again. In my view, this was wrong. I would immediately reintroduce some of the changes, which made the game more accessible for fans who couldn’t get out. I would make Remote Raid Passes cheaper, more available, and offer the same bonuses no matter where they were in the world. I completely respect that the game offers a positive message of urging players to get out and explore the world around them. However it is important to recognise that there are people who are unable to do so due to disabilities, health, or feeling uncomfortable in groups. These players matter, and I would ensure they had the same opportunities to enjoy Pokémon GO and not be left behind again.