Pokemon GO Ending Support for Some Devices Soon

Pokemon GO to Drop Support for Older Devices in 2025

A pair of upcoming updates to Pokemon GO will render the game unplayable on certain older mobile devices, starting as early as March 2025. The updates will specifically end support for 32-bit Android devices.

Players using affected devices are urged to safeguard their login credentials before the March and June 2025 updates. Upgrading to a compatible device will be necessary to continue playing.

While this news may be inconvenient for some, 2025 promises a wave of exciting developments within the broader Pokemon franchise. Highly anticipated releases like Pokemon Legends: Z-A are on the horizon, alongside rumored projects including potential remakes of Pokemon Black and White, and a new entry in the Let's Go series.

Pokemon GO, a location-based augmented reality game, celebrated its eighth anniversary in 2024. Despite a decline from its peak player count of 232 million in 2016, the game maintains a significant player base, exceeding 110 million active users in December 2024.

Niantic, the developer, announced on January 9th that the upcoming updates are designed to optimize the game's performance on modern devices. This optimization necessitates the discontinuation of support for older hardware. The first update (March 2025) will impact some Android devices downloaded from the Samsung Galaxy Store. The second (June 2025) will affect 32-bit Android devices obtained via Google Play.

Affected Devices (Partial List):

• Samsung Galaxy S4, S5, Note 3, J3
• Sony Xperia Z2, Z3
• Motorola Moto G (1st generation)
• LG Fortune, Tribute
• OnePlus One
• HTC One (M8)
• ZTE Overture 3
• Several Android devices released before 2015

While the developer assures players that 64-bit Android devices and all iPhones will remain compatible, those with affected devices will temporarily lose access to their accounts and any purchased Pokecoins until they upgrade. Saving login details is strongly recommended.

Although this change is undoubtedly disappointing for affected players, the future looks bright for the Pokemon franchise as a whole. Further details regarding Pokemon GO's future may be revealed during a rumored Pokemon Presents showcase on February 27th.