It only took 4 years and a pandemic, but Pokémon Go finally has "remote" gameplay

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Photo: Paula Bronstein
Since its launch in the summer of 2016 (in the Before Times before the Before Times), Pokémon Go has never exactly been social-distancing-friendly. A major component of its gameplay involves being outside, walking around in different areas, and using augmented reality to find and capture the eponymous creatures. While most people seemed perfectly happy with this style of gameplay, there were some fans and would-be players who felt Pokémon Go should also allow for “remote” gameplay. That may seem antithetical to the purpose of the game, but for players who live in rural areas and those with disabilities, the complete absence of remote functionality created an unfortunate barrier.