On this week’s episode of the Wayspotters Podcast, Jamal and Chris hit rewind on 2025 and take a month-by-month look at how Wayfarer really changed — not just through updates and announcements, but through reviewer behavior, community strategy, and shifting trust in the system.

This isn’t a “Niantic did this” or “Scopely did that” episode. It’s about us — the reviewers, nominators, veterans, and newcomers who adapted as the rules stayed mostly the same, but the reality around them didn’t.

In Part 1, we cover January through June 2025, including:

Reviewer fatigue and growing inconsistency early in the year

How supporting info, upgrades, and edits quietly lost trust

The moment skepticism replaced benefit-of-the-doubt

Community adaptation through Discords, strategy sharing, and mentorship

The impact of Niantic’s games business being acquired by Scopely

Think of this episode as the Wayfarer yearbook — fewer signatures, more opinions.

Why 2025 felt different in Wayfarer — even before anything officially changed

Reviewer fatigue, inconsistency, and the rise of “will this pass?” thinking

How supporting information became the real battleground

The growing distrust in edits, upgrades, and appeals

When skepticism replaced benefit-of-the-doubt

How the community adapted through strategy, Discords, and peer leadership

The ripple effects of Niantic’s games business being acquired by Scopely

Show Credits Hosts: Jamal Harvey & Chris Bell

Writer: Jamal Harvey

Producer: Jamal Harvey

Executive Producer: Kate Konz

Show Historian: Matty G

Recorded: December 23, 2025

Published: December 28, 2025

Season 4, Episode 51

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Community & Friends Wayfarer Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠discord.gg/niawayfarer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ German Wayfarer Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠discord.gg/ThTZCZH5⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook Group: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/groups/2241761169257836⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Solstice: 🎧 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify Episode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • 📸 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Unsplash⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Agent X on TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@agentx_wayfinder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Chris Bell’s Articles: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pokemongohub.net/post/author/glawhantojar⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Niantic Wayfarer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@NianticWayfarer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Music CreditsIntro: “Game Over” – Danijel ZamboBreak: Heavy Trap Drum Loops – LoopmastersOutro: “Itty Bitty 8 Bit” – Kevin MacLeodAdditional: Spanish Hard Trap – Steve Oxen

Vocal Recordings © Pokémon Professor Network 2025

Pokémon and all respective names © Nintendo 1996–2025. Pokémon GO © Niantic, Inc. Wayspotters & Pokémon Professor Network are not affiliated with Niantic, The Pokémon Company, Game Freak, or Nintendo.

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