Pokemon GO still does not have a working in-game tracker. There are speculations that legal issues are ones preventing Niantic from releasing a proper tracker to the game.
Niantic Faces Lawsuit For Wrongful Acts & Practices
Pokemon GO developer is currently facing several lawsuits mainly dealing with violation of private property, according to legal citation by JDSupra Business Advisor. Pokemon GO is a virtual reality game that requires player to go out in the real world to catch Pokemon. However, overeager Pokemon GO players have been trespassing in private properties in an effort to catch a Pokemon. Distressed homeowners as well as business owners are now suing Niantic for placing Pokemon, Pokestops and Battle gyms inside their private property.
Niantic Solution To LawSuits?
A Reddit user, GrouperSandwhich is proposing a theory that Niantic deliberately removed the in-game tracker for Pokemon GO and banned all third party trackers in an attempt avoid any legal liability against the lawsuits.
According to the theory, Niantic will be seen as actually encouraging Pokemon GO players to trespass since they are the following trackers in where to catch a Pokemon even if it's inside a private property. Without a tracker however, the developer can at least say that it does not condone the illegal acts (trespassing) of its players. It's a stop gap measure at best but Niantic hopes this could give them some breathing room.
Critics will say that Niantic can simply reprogram the game to exclude private properties from Pokemon spawn points, nests, Pokestops and gyms. Others however, doubt if the developer has the technical capability of limiting the appearance of their game characters in public places such as parks.
Niantic Reply On The Matter
This speculation however, contradicts what Niantic is currently doing. As of press time, the developer is currently an in-game tracker. Hopefully, the tracker is ready before winter sets in. Otherwise, Pokemon GO players will probably believe this theory.
