Pokemon GO to Drop Support for Older Devices in 2025
A pair of 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 many long-time players needing to upgrade their phones to continue their gameplay.
The popular augmented reality game, celebrating its ninth anniversary this summer, maintains a significant player base exceeding 110 million active users (December 2024 data). However, Niantic's efforts to optimize the game for modern hardware necessitate the discontinuation of support for older devices.
On January 9th, Niantic announced that the March and June 2025 updates will end support for specific devices. The first update impacts certain Android devices downloaded from the Samsung Galaxy Store, while the second targets 32-bit Android devices from Google Play. While a complete list hasn't been provided, affected devices include, but are not limited to:
- 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
- Various Android devices released before 2015
Players using affected devices are urged to securely save their login credentials. While account access will be restored after upgrading to a compatible device, gameplay will be unavailable until the upgrade is complete. This includes access to any purchased Pokecoins.
Despite this disruption, 2025 promises to be a significant year for the Pokemon franchise. Highly anticipated titles like Pokemon Legends: Z-A are slated for release, alongside rumored remakes of Pokemon Black and White and a potential new Let's Go installment. While Pokemon GO's 2025 plans remain unclear, a leaked February 27th Pokemon Presents event may shed more light on the game's future.
