Wayspotters - A Scopely Explore Wayfarer Podcast

This week Chris and Jamal kick off Episode 218 of the Wayspotters Podcast with some personal updates, including Chris preparing to start a new job and celebrating his son making a lacrosse rep team. After the catch-up, they dive into the latest Wayfarer and Niantic news.

The big topic this week is the pause of Operation Portal Recon (OPR). Chris and Jamal discuss Niantic Spatial’s announcement that OPR has been temporarily shut down and share their speculation about why it happened. Reports surfaced showing large-scale cheating, bots, and automated portal submissions creating thousands of fake reviews and portals. They explore how the abuse may have overwhelmed Niantic’s ability to manage the system, why OPR may stay offline for a long time, and what the future could look like for Ingress mapping and community review.

They also talk about what this pause could mean for Ingress players and the long-term health of the portal network, including concerns that without new portals the game could feel stale and lose player engagement.

On the Wayfarer side, the hosts highlight a major quality-of-life improvement: web submission drafts. The new system allows Wayfinders to create and store multiple nomination drafts, review photos and descriptions at home, and submit them later once everything is polished. Chris and Jamal explain why this could improve nomination quality, reduce “coal” submissions, and help reviewers overall—while noting the limitation that submissions still require available nomination slots.

The episode wraps up with Wayspot of the Week, featuring a striking globe installation in Dublin and an abstract art installation in Rockford, Illinois, followed by Coal of the Week, showcasing a great nomination ruined by using a watermarked photo pulled from a website.

Overall, the episode explores the evolving future of Wayfarer, the challenges of community-driven mapping systems, and how new tools might improve the quality of Wayspot nominations going forward.

Stick around for:

✅ Spatial / Scopely News

✅ Tales From Canada

✅ Wayspots / Coal of the Week

✅ Dad Jokes (of course!)

Show Credits Hosts: Jamal Harvey & Chris Bell

Writer: Chris Bell

Producer: Jamal Harvey

Executive Producer: Kate Konz

Show Historian: Matty G

Recorded: 5 March 2026

Published:8 March 2026

Season 5, Episode 10

Contact Us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Voicemail / SMS: 704-426-3710

 Support the Show 

Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/PokemonProfessor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wayspotters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

 Follow! Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotterspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@imakewayspots⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@WayspottersPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitch.tv/pokemonprofessornetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Chris and Jamal dig into a packed episode full of Wayfarer news, hot takes, and a lot of common-sense discussion. They cover the fix for the Pokémon GO nomination spacebar bug, the nearby map issue, Niantic Spatial pausing OPR and retiring Overclock, and the arrival of Wayfarer nomination drafts—an update they both see as one of the biggest quality-of-life improvements Wayfarer has had in a long time.

The main topic asks a bold question: what if Pokémon GO removed the ability to nominate POIs in-game and pushed all nominations through the Wayfarer website instead? What starts as a spicy hot take turns into a thoughtful conversation about better onboarding, higher-quality nominations, clearer expectations, and reducing the constant confusion from players who think they are nominating PokéStops instead of submitting Wayspots to Niantic’s larger database. Chris and Jamal weigh the pros and cons, from better education and fewer junk nominations to the risk of losing casual contributors and slowing map growth.

They also talk about whether Wayfarer may be entering a post-backlog era, with eMiLy filtering out more coal, review areas feeling wider, and nominations moving faster than ever. From there, they jump into a fun “One’s Gotta Go” debate featuring Pokémon, Mario, Call of Duty, and EA Sports, before wrapping up with two great Wayspots of the Week and a Coal of the Week that serves as a reminder that even a beautiful mural is still ineligible if it sits on K-12 school property.

https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/t/whats-the-point-of-having-pokemon-go-if-my-nomination-wont-show-up-in-game/108679

Stick around for:

✅ Spatial / Scopely News

✅ One's Gotta Go

✅ Wayspots / Coal of the Week

✅ Dad Jokes (of course!)

Show Credits Hosts: Jamal Harvey & Chris Bell

Writer: Jamal Harvey

Producer: Jamal Harvey

Executive Producer: Kate Konz

Show Historian: Matty G

Recorded: 12 March 2026

Published: 15 March 2026

Season 5, Episode 9

Contact Us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Voicemail / SMS: 704-426-3710

 Support the Show 

Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/PokemonProfessor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wayspotters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

 Follow! Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotterspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@imakewayspots⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@WayspottersPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitch.tv/pokemonprofessornetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Chris and Jamal talk about a packed week of Wayfarer news, including the Pokémon GO nomination screen spacebar bug, a new 24-hour delay before upgrades can be applied, eMiLy returning to photo reviews, and fixes for missing monthly recap emails. They also share plans for Pokémon GO Fest in Chicago, talk about meeting listeners in person, and officially put out their invitation to connect with the Niantic team while they’re there.

The main discussion digs into a fascinating theory about Wayfarer review distances. After a nomination from a friend of the show appeared far outside the expected review radius, Chris and Jamal explore whether Niantic may have quietly expanded review areas while keeping them locked within each reviewer’s home country. They compare examples from across North America, weigh several possible explanations, and make the case that a larger review pool could be helping reduce backlog, speed up decisions, and keep the system moving more efficiently than before.

They also talk about the recent removal of questionable “couch” Power Spots and share advice for anyone trying to restore a legitimately removed Wayspot. From gathering proof and photos to treating the request like a brand-new nomination, they explain how to give the Wayfarer team the best possible case. To close things out, Chris teases the upcoming March Madness Wayspot bracket, Jamal gives a shoutout to Ingress agents he met in Charlotte, and the hosts reflect on how much better Wayfarer feels when strong nominations move through the system faster.

Stick around for:

✅ Spatial / Scopely News

✅ Tales From Canada

✅ Wayspots / Coal of the Week

✅ Dad Jokes (of course!)

Show Credits Hosts: Jamal Harvey & Chris Bell

Writer: Chris Bell

Producer: Jamal Harvey

Executive Producer: Kate Konz

Show Historian: Matty G

Recorded: 5 March 2026

Published:8 March 2026

Season 5, Episode 8

Contact Us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Voicemail / SMS: 704-426-3710

 Support the Show 

Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/PokemonProfessor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wayspotters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

 Follow! Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotterspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@imakewayspots⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@WayspottersPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitch.tv/pokemonprofessornetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Jamal and Chris get into a no-news week in Wayfarer (no eMiLy updates, no Ambassador news) while shouting out a wave of new listeners and Chris powering through sickness and a whole lot of Canadian snow to keep the weekly streak alive.

For Topic 1, the guys react to a forum post about a 30-day ban that spirals into a masterclass on what not to do—photos taken from inside the car, dashboard in frame, and using Google Maps images. From there, Jamal lays out his “If I ran Wayfarer for a day” list of instant 30-day ban offenses, from zero-effort submissions to fake trail markers, emoji-only titles, and more—plus the legendary return of the “Gazebo Bandit.”

For Topic 2, they bring it back to the basics with the three pillars every review should revolve around: Explore, Exercise, or Social. They break down what each category really means (and why nominations only need to hit one), including a passionate defense of restaurants as legitimate social spaces.

Then it’s time for One’s Gotta Go: Pizza Edition—New York vs Chicago deep dish vs Detroit vs Hawaiian—with some spicy takes ahead of Go Fest Chicago.

Finally, they wrap with Wayspots of the Week (a stunning stained glass memorial window and a Three Stooges tombstone) and Coal of the Week featuring a “McPokey Place” nomination that’s as bad as it sounds, plus a tease for an upcoming March Madness-style POI bracket.

Stick around for:

✅ Spatial / Scopely News

✅ One's Gotta Go

✅ Wayspots / Coal of the Week

✅ Dad Jokes (of course!)

Show Credits Hosts: Jamal Harvey & Chris Bell

Writer: Jamal Harvey

Producer: Jamal Harvey

Executive Producer: Kate Konz

Show Historian: Matty G

Recorded: 26 Feb 2026

Published: 01 March 2026

Season 5, Episode 7

Contact Us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Voicemail / SMS: 704-426-3710

 Support the Show 

Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/PokemonProfessor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wayspotters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

 Follow! Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotterspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@imakewayspots⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@WayspottersPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitch.tv/pokemonprofessornetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on the podcast, Chris and Jamal talk about the current state of Wayfarer, including eMiLy still being down, the lack of updates around the Ambassador program, and growing frustration with Recon especially among the “I want to do both” crowd who feel stuck waiting for meaningful changes.

They also dive into a great community discussion around trail markers, breaking down what actually makes them eligible. The key takeaway: it’s not the marker itself it’s the trail. Chris and Jamal explain how to position trail markers as anchors for a larger point of interest, and why details like trail names, locations, and official maps can make or break your nomination.

Finally, with bad weather keeping everyone inside, they share productive ways to stay engaged with Wayfarer reviewing nominations, exploring the new Wayfarer map, digging into forum discussions, and revisiting past rejections for better resubmissions.

Stick around for:

✅ Spatial / Scopely News

✅ Tales From Canada

✅ Wayspots / Coal of the Week

✅ Dad Jokes (of course!)

Show Credits Hosts: Jamal Harvey & Chris Bell

Writer: Chris Bell

Producer: Jamal Harvey

Executive Producer: Kate Konz

Show Historian: Matty G

Recorded: 19 Feb 2026

Published: 22 Feb 2026

Season 5, Episode 6

Contact Us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Voicemail / SMS: 704-426-3710

 Support the Show 

Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/PokemonProfessor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wayspotters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

 Follow! Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotterspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@imakewayspots⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@WayspottersPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitch.tv/pokemonprofessornetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Jamal and Chris talk about recent Wayfarer news, including eMiLy’s photo-edit outage, ongoing email issues, and a reminder about properly handling location edits through help chat instead of inching Wayspots around the map. They also react to some listener comments before diving into the main topics.

In Topic #1, they discuss a “Measure Twice, Cut Once” approach to nominations, introducing a practical pre-submission checklist. They cover the importance of strong photos, clear unique features, accessibility details, cultural or historical context, and smart use of supporting images to answer reviewer questions before they’re even asked.

In Topic #2, they explore whether reviewers are actually getting better—or if the so-called gatekeepers have simply disappeared. They break down possible reasons for faster approvals, including improved submitter quality, shifts in the reviewer pool, and potential backend or automation changes. They also challenge the “gatekeeper” label, talk about community bias, and ask whether quality could drift if approvals stay this fast.

Stick around for:

✅ Spatial / Scopely News

✅ One's Gotta Go

✅ Wayspots / Coal of the Week

✅ Dad Jokes (of course!)

Show Credits Hosts: Jamal Harvey & Chris Bell

Writer: Jamal Harvey

Producer: Jamal Harvey

Executive Producer: Kate Konz

Show Historian: Matty G

Recorded: 12 Feb 2026

Published: 15 Feb 2026

Season 5, Episode 5

Contact Us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Voicemail / SMS: 704-426-3710

 Support the Show 

Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/PokemonProfessor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wayspotters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

 Follow! Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotterspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@imakewayspots⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@WayspottersPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitch.tv/pokemonprofessornetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Chris and Jamal talk about the latest Wayfarer news, including issues with map sync delays that are causing approved Wayspots, edits, and removals to take hours (or even more than a day) to appear in games. Niantic is currently running manual syncs while investigating the problem, and the hosts also highlight a community comment suggesting that player-submitted Wayspots should replace some of the newly generated street PokéStops.

The bulk of the episode focuses on a deep dive into the newly released Wayfarer Map. Chris and Jamal review what the first version can currently do, then walk through a long list of known issues pulled from forum discussions — such as delayed live data, broken location searches, visual problems with Google Maps layers, missing Street View, translation gaps, and the inability to filter certain Wayspot types. They also discuss features they hope appear in future updates, including improved zoom controls, filters for personal contributions, the ability to edit locations directly from the map, plugin support, and results from Jamal’s recent experiment using the tool.

Finally, the hosts evaluate Niantic’s 2025–2026 Wayfarer roadmap and measure progress so far. They run through each promised improvement — from appeals and distance changes to quality surfacing, leaderboards, and rating systems — noting that only the Wayfarer Map and web submissions have fully launched so far. Chris argues that despite many items still pending, these two features are major wins and, when broken down mathematically, put the team roughly on pace if development continues steadily through 2026.

Stick around for:

✅ Spatial / Scopely News

✅ Tales From Canada

✅ Wayspots / Coal of the Week

✅ Dad Jokes (of course!)

Show Credits Hosts: Jamal Harvey & Chris Bell

Writer: Chris Bell

Producer: Jamal Harvey

Executive Producer: Kate Konz

Show Historian: Matty G

Recorded: 5 Feb 2026

Published: 8 Jan 2026

Season 5, Episode 4

Contact Us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Voicemail / SMS: 704-426-3710

 Support the Show 

Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/PokemonProfessor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wayspotters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

 Follow! Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotterspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@imakewayspots⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@WayspottersPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitch.tv/pokemonprofessornetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week’s episode, Jamal and Chris dive into Niantic’s controversial experiment of adding PokéStops directly to street corners and bus stops in select U.S. areas, weighing the potential benefits for underserved communities against concerns around criteria, fairness, safety, and visual clutter. They break down what this could mean for Wayfarer’s philosophy, reviewer morale, and future map growth—plus what success (or failure) of the test might signal long-term.

Links: https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/t/testing-new-wayspots-in-pokemon-go/109242

Stick around for:

✅ Spatial / Scopely News

✅ One's Gotta Go

✅ Wayspots / Coal of the Week

✅ Dad Jokes (of course!)

Show Credits Hosts: Jamal Harvey & Chris Bell

Writer: Jamal Harvey

Producer: Jamal Harvey

Executive Producer: Kate Konz

Show Historian: Matty G

Recorded: 29 Jan 2026

Published: 1 Feb 2026

Season 5, Episode 3

Contact Us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Voicemail / SMS: 704-426-3710

 Support the Show 

Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/PokemonProfessor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wayspotters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

 Follow! Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotterspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@imakewayspots⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@WayspottersPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitch.tv/pokemonprofessornetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Chris and Jamal dive headfirst into fresh Wayfarer movement, community chatter, and one of the trickiest topics explorers face: when — and how — to report problematic Wayspots.

The duo opens with some classic banter before jumping into the latest Wayfarer News, including long-stuck nominations finally reaching resolution, speculation on when 2026 Wayfarer Ambassador applications might open, and why some Niantic reviews seem to clear faster than others.

From there it’s on to From the Comments! as the hosts react to listener feedback about restaurant nominations, broken Wayfarer tools, and Jamal’s infamous tinfoil-hat theory about shifting approval speeds.

The main discussion centers on a hot forum topic: “To report, or not report?” Chris and Jamal break down why cleaning up the map matters, what actually qualifies for removal, and where things get murky with private residential property, emergency services locations, nonexistent Wayspots, and borderline cases that are bad — but not necessarily abuse. They also tackle what real abuse looks like, how to recognize it, and whether AI and suspicious photos should raise red flags.

Plus… the Professor steps in for a heartfelt moment of tough love about reporting correctly — hand-holding included.

Let’s explore.

Stick around for:

✅ Spatial / Scopely News

✅ Tales From Canada

✅ Wayspots / Coal of the Week

✅ Dad Jokes (of course!)

Show Credits Hosts: Jamal Harvey & Chris Bell

Writer: Chris Bell

Producer: Jamal Harvey

Executive Producer: Kate Konz

Show Historian: Matty G

Recorded: 22 Jan 2026

Published: 25 Jan 2026

Season 5, Episode 2

Contact Us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Voicemail / SMS: 704-426-3710

 Support the Show 

Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/PokemonProfessor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wayspotters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

 Follow! Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotterspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@imakewayspots⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@WayspottersPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitch.tv/pokemonprofessornetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week’s episode, Jamal and Chris break down everything kicking off Season 5 of Wayfarer, starting with the surprising speed-up that has nominations flying through in hours instead of weeks.

They explore what this means for queues, backlogs, and overall Explorer behavior, and whether Niantic might be testing something under the hood.

The conversation then shifts to the big Quality Question — are these faster decisions still accurate, or are reviewers becoming more lenient as systems evolve?

Stick around for:

✅ Spatial / Scopely News

✅ One's Gotta Go

✅ Wayspots / Coal of the Week

✅ Dad Jokes (of course!)

Show Credits Hosts: Jamal Harvey & Chris Bell

Writer: Jamal Harvey

Producer: Jamal Harvey

Executive Producer: Kate Konz

Show Historian: Matty G

Recorded: 15 Jan 2026

Published: 18 Jan 2026

Season 5, Episode 1

Contact Us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Voicemail / SMS: 704-426-3710

 Support the Show 

Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/PokemonProfessor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wayspotters.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

 Follow! Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotterspodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@wayspotters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@imakewayspots⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@WayspottersPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitch: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠twitch.tv/pokemonprofessornetwork⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices