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Pokemon GO to Drop Support for Older Devices in 2025
Upcoming updates to Pokemon GO will render the game unplayable on several older mobile devices, starting as early as March 2025. This change primarily affects 32-bit Android devices, leaving long-time players with unsupported phones needing to upgrade to continue their adventures.
Pokemon GO, a globally popular augmented reality game, celebrates its ninth anniversary this summer. While its peak player numbers have subsided from its 2016 launch (peaking at approximately 232 million active players), December 2024 data still indicates over 110 million active players in the preceding month. However, Niantic's optimization efforts to improve performance on modern devices will unfortunately result in the discontinuation of support for older hardware.
On January 9th, Niantic announced that two updates, scheduled for March and June 2025, will end support for certain devices. The first update impacts some Android devices downloaded from the Samsung Galaxy Store, while the second specifically targets 32-bit Android devices obtained via Google Play. While a complete list of affected devices hasn't been provided, Niantic confirmed that 64-bit Android devices and all iPhones will remain compatible.
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
Players using affected devices are urged to save their login credentials. While they can access their accounts again after upgrading their phones, access will be unavailable until a compatible device is obtained. This includes any purchased Pokecoins.
Despite this setback for some players, 2025 promises to be an exciting year for the Pokemon franchise. Highly anticipated releases like Pokemon Legends: Z-A (release date pending) and rumored titles such as Pokemon Black and White remakes and a new Let's Go installment are on the horizon. While Pokemon GO's 2025 plans remain unclear, a leaked February 27th Pokemon Presents event may reveal further details.
