Hannan Mundia 
Pokemon GO got significant changes to its graphics including changes to how the avatars look in-game, and fans are mad and looking for a way to fix those changes.
Since Pokemon GO was released in 2016, its visuals have stayed largely the same. That changed with a major update that overhauled the game’s graphics. Alongside tweaking how the environment looks to make the in-game scenery more detailed, the update also changed how players’ avatars look. This didn’t go well with fans.
The graphical changes are applied to every player’s avatar, changing their proportions and appearance while removing certain gender-specific options and features. Although players are annoyed by this change, the fanbase has found ways to fix it to some capacity.
Why are Pokemon GO fans mad over the avatar changes?
The new Rediscover Update has caused numerous visual glitches on avatars in Pokemon GO while drastically changing how player characters look.
Niantic changed Pokemon GO player models by removing male and female bodies for a gender-neutral model alongside a graphics overhaul to the map and catching screen. The updated model has resulted in clothes and items fitting differently, resulting in clipping issues and graphical bugs. This includes skirts clipping through the avatar’s legs, clothes looking torn, and hairstyles slicing through the head.
Social media blew up with stories of players complaining directly to Niantic to no avail, enraging fans even more. Reddit users shared screenshots of tickets sent to Niantic, with user TheLiterateCat in particular drawing attention for supposedly violating Niantic’s terms of service and player guidelines.
This new update doesn’t change how the game plays, but it’s left a sour taste in the fanbase. Although Niantic hasn’t mentioned the problem officially, the Pokemon GO hub claimed that the company responded and is taking it “very seriously.” However, a handful of players have already likely jumped ship to other mobile games like the popular AFK Journey. With Pokemon TCG Pocket expected to launch in 2024, it remains to be seen if this backlash trickles over to other mobile apps or inspires players to get their Pokemon fix elsewhere.
Can you fix Pokemon GO’s graphics changes?
There’s no way to fix the new avatar graphics in Pokemon GO, but players can revert many of the map changes.
To go back to the old Pokemon GO map, tap the Pokeball in-game to go to the menu and then tap the settings option on the top-right corner of the screen.
From here, tap the ‘Advanced Settings’ option.
Finally, scroll down to “Enhanced Graphics” and turn the slider to the left to disable the new graphics.
As for the avatar changes, some players also suggest wearing baggy clothes. Items such as backpacks, boots, and anything else that can cover the player’s skin can minimize the amount of visual changes. However, this isn’t a fail-proof solution, especially since the visual glitches affect clothes too.
