Niantic could also take steps to further obfuscate its server data in the future or attempt to block access by unapproved sources from outside the game. Such moves would no doubt lead to a programming arms race between Niantic and hackers eager to keep the game’s hidden bits exposed (Niantic Labs wasn’t immediately available to respond to a request for comment from Ars Technica).
While mapping previously hidden Pokémon is obviously a good way to speed up advancement in the game, it also robs you of some of the serendipity of discovery that makes Pokémon Go special. Simply walking to a set point on a map ends up being a little less satisfying than stumbling on the hidden critters yourself.
This kind of mapping also has the potential to hamper some of the social interactions that have helped the game become an instant hit. After all, why bother asking a nearby player if they found any good Pokémon nearby when you can just call up an app that tells you their location instantly?
That said, developer Ahmed Almutawa, who first posted his Pokémon Go mapper on Saturday evening, doesn’t seem worried about these kinds of tools damaging the game experience. “Ever since I’ve made this, I’ve had a lot more fun,” he said in an interview with The Verge, “mostly because I could see where all the lures are and go to where all the people are hanging out.”
That said, Almutawa added that he realizes “it is Niantic’s game and they’re free to do with it whatever they do. I do hope that they’re fine with the map itself [and] it’s not causing them any issues.”