Pokémon GO Support Ends for Legacy Devices

Pokemon GO to Drop Support for Older Android Devices in 2025

A pair of upcoming updates to Pokemon GO will render the game unplayable on certain older mobile devices, specifically 32-bit Android phones. This change, announced on January 9th, will take effect in two phases: March 2025 (affecting some Samsung Galaxy Store downloads) and June 2025 (affecting 32-bit Android devices from Google Play).

This affects a significant number of players, considering Pokemon GO's continued popularity with over 110 million active players in the 30 days prior to December 2024, according to ActivePlayer reports. While the game launched in July 2016 and reached peak activity of approximately 232 million players in its first year, a substantial user base remains.

Niantic, the game developer, cites performance optimization as the reason for ending support for these older devices. While a complete list of affected models wasn't provided, the announcement confirmed incompatibility for several popular older models including:

• 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 they can access their accounts again after upgrading to a compatible device, they will be unable to play until then, including accessing any purchased Pokecoins.

Despite this disruption, 2025 promises exciting developments for the broader Pokemon franchise. The release of Pokemon Legends: Z-A is anticipated, and rumors circulate about potential remakes of Pokemon Black and White and a new Let's Go series entry. A rumored Pokemon Presents showcase on February 27th may shed further light on future Pokemon GO updates.