The criteria, there needs to be a change in criteria, clarification of criteria, clarification of the submission process and clarification of the review and rejection process.
Which aspect of criteria is proving problematic do you think?
And do you mean it is tricky when you submit or when it comestibles applying the criteria when reviewing?.
Perhaps you should make a new thread, this is starting to veer away from the OP since we don’t even know if Niantic has any intention, within the time frame of the roadmap, of making any criteria clarification or amendments.
True there could be a whole pile to unpick.
Please do start a topic based around those points but with what you want to start with.
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Respectfully and humbly, I decline the offer to start the thread.
Ok I think there are potentially some interesting points that could be discussed. And don’t want it to go off topic.
So I have split this from Wayfarer Roadmap 2025/2026 - Discussion
Hope the title is ok.
Over to you all for discussion.
My vote is that I am perfectly happy with the criteria. Not everything is perfect black or white but you learn the criteria and work within them.
Before any comments, I do not live in a city and as I have said before the way I play the game I do not want masses of wayspots. I use the game to convince me to get out of the house and do small walks. If I could reach several Gyms / Stops from home then It would no longer be the push I sometimes need.
I feel for the proper “wayspot deserts” but care needs to be taken on how best to help these areas without over populating larger areas.
I would also be open to having a maximum amount of gyms / stops in L14 cells rule but again care would need to be taken on how this is implemented.
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This sounds like they’re trying to help rural players. But there’s only so much they can do, and this might be a hot take but…
The lack of eligible things to nominate in your area is not a Wayfarer problem.
The lack of “Interatable things” in the games you play in your area is not a Wayfarer problem.
If the teams for Pokémon GO, Pikmin Bloom, or Monster Hunter Now want to add things to the map to make the game easier to play for rural players, then that’s on them. We can’t be breaking the rules of Wayfarer just because people live in rural communities.
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I’ve said before id like an extra criteria category, as i personally dont think things like listed buildings or murals encourage exploration. to me, exploration would be maps, trails (walking and heritage, not so much hiking and biking ad they are more exercise, though all 4 types fulfil both). I’d like a cultural/historical category, as murals can meet cultural, art being cultured, and historical speaking for itself. Just think that would simplfy a bit
Id also like proper clarifications on natural features, have said that a few times too, as it was apparently OK, but now isnt again according to the appeal reviewers, even thoigh there wasnt (when I last checked a few months back) any mention of natural features. Not for every tree, stone and stream obviously, but for thi is like the whangie in scotland that has folktales about it, has a website, has a Google page about it but doesnt have a sign
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Why are we under the impression that the rules or criteria are set in stone? They have changed before, they can change again. Why can’t they change again to make the game more inclusive?
Also why do we think there is no contact between wayfarer and the pokemogo team? We are literally getting an email that will tell us interaction metrics regarding our wayspots in Pokémon Go. Collaboration between the two companies is not unheard of.
Meanwhile…. I LOVE exploring murals
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I am happy with the core criteria. I love me some clarifications, as y’all know, but I think the core criteria is clear. What is unclear imo is the current review flow.
How many new reviewers in 2025 are going to find an AMA from 2023 explaining that you must use one of the first four questions to reject a nomination? AMA - November 2023 - #5 by NianticTintino
How many are just using 
on the core criteria questions for something that does not meet criteria, thinking they are rejecting, when they are actually accepting? Others understand that they are not rejecting, but are making a point.
The only way to learn that “not Distinct” can be used for something that just isn’t significant is if the reviewer sees that mentioned in a group somewhere like this one. It isn’t stated that way in the tool tip. Some people refuse to use this rejection this way.
Assuming the goal of removing the “Does not meet criteria option” that we had in the old review flow is why we have the three separate core questions, what I think could fix this is to have the Core Criteria section grouped together as a fifth question, which makes a confirmation that you are rejecting the nomination pop up to submit, like the other rejections, if you all three.
And as a side note: in the previous review flow, y’all had removed “Generic business,” and I wish you would again. Many businesses do meet the core criteria.
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I’m not, and they aren’t.
Sure, but not at the expense of the core pillars of Wayfarer.
Where did I say there wasn’t collaboration between the teams? I know for a fact there is.
But again, not at the expense of Wayfarer’s core pillars.
What are Wayfarer’s core pillars
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- A great place for exploration
- A great place for exercise
- A great place to be social with others
But I am pretty sure you know that.
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If these are the core pillars you speak of then what I seek is within the realm of possibility. We have a whole extra criteria collection library that acts as an addendum to these “pillars”
Niantic just has to say the word and change it. I remember when survey markers were great, and now they aren’t. I remember when plaza signs weren’t great, and now they are. Did these changes shake the pillars? I don’t think so.
I think you mistook the meaning of the criteria collection library. They are a result of the core criteria while also:
- Clarifying some of the gray area like Military Zone, or LFL, or SFPRP border would count ineligible.
- How a wayspot location would be put in a large area.
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Im not.saying people dont go exploring ti see murals, but like, when putting in the supporting info why something meets criteria, I always feel it’s a lie when I say “murals make great waypoints as they encourage exploration to find”, technically its true as its under the exploration criteria, but i think most people would see a murals.and go “thats cool/pretty/beautiful/ohmygodwhatdidtheydototheirfaces” (that last one is a specific reason, look up still game, then still game mural glasgow), which is where an cultural one would come in as a great 4th option.
Exploring doesn’t just mean physically finding something. You can explore through learning. Libraries are listed under this criteria. That’s also why art falls under exploration. It’s not about the “hunt” to find murals, it’s about how they expand your mind when you look at them.
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