206. Wayfarer Year in Review Part #1 cover art

206. Wayfarer Year in Review Part #1

206. Wayfarer Year in Review Part #1

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 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. Here’s what we’re talking about: 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 Contact Us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wayspotters@pokemonprofessor.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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
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