Wayspotters - A Niantic Wayfarer Podcast

This week, Jamal & Chris dig into the first recorded episode of 2026 and the Season 4 finale! We look back at the incredible growth of the show over the past four years and share what’s ahead for Season 5. Then we break down the surprising Wayfarer update that caused years-old failed uploads to suddenly appear in Niantic review — some only half-uploaded — and what this means for reviewers. We also...

This week the boys talk about… Part 2 of our 2025 Wayfarer retrospective — where momentum turned into mastery. From the mid-year surge of new Wayfarers to roadmap clarity, recognition, and early automation, the community didn’t just grow… it leveled up. We break down how July through December reshaped reviewing habits, mentorship, and what it really means to Wayfind heading into 2026. Here’s what...

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 n...

On this week’s episode of the Wayspotters Podcast, Jamal and Chris wrap up the year by taking a look at Wayfarer at the end of 2025. From a holiday-themed Wayfarer Christmas Wishlist to reflecting on what the year actually taught us about nominations, eligibility, and reviewer consistency, the conversation balances insight with end-of-year perspective. The episode also covers recent Wayfarer news,...

This week, Jamal & Chris dig into how Wayspots actually get removed from the map — what qualifies for removal, what doesn’t, and why “technically ineligible” often isn’t enough. They break down Niantic’s removal criteria, share real-world examples, and offer practical tips to help your removal reports get approved. Before that, they cover the latest Wayfarer news, including GO Fest 2025 in Chicago...

This week, Jamal & Chris welcome Instagram explorer wonderlust_wayfarer for a deep dive into urban wandering, abandoned places, and the beauty of overlooked POIs. We break down the latest Wayfarer news, react to Niantic’s… questionable trailer PokéStops, and unveil Jamal’s bold theory: a possible $4.99 Explorer Pass with temporary daily PokéStops. Could Niantic actually do it? (Yes. Probably. Mayb...

In this episode, Chris and Jamal dive into a chaotic week in Wayfarer, starting with a broken rollout of the new web submission system and Niantic’s quick rollback. Then the guys dig into a surprising datamine revealing two new conditional quest types — and what that might mean for the future. Are we finally getting Wayfarer special research? Is this Scopely’s influence? Or are we just headed towa...

This week on the Wayspotters Podcast, Chris and Jamal dive into one of the biggest updates in recent Wayfarer history: Web Submissions v1 is officially live! The guys break down what’s new, how it changes the nomination flow, and why the community is buzzing — from multi-photo support to new radius warnings to the debate around whether in-voting nominations should appear on the map. They then tack...

Welcome to a milestone episode of the Wayspotters Podcast! This week, Jamal and Chris celebrate Episode TWO HUNDRED with reflections, news, community moments, and a look toward the future of Wayfinding. The boys take a moment to thank the listeners whose support made this milestone possible. With podcast statistics showing that most shows never make it past Episode 20, reaching 200 episodes is a h...

On this week’s episode of the Wayspotters Podcast… We’re diving deep into the Wayfinder Wishlist — the features and fixes we wish Niantic would bring to Wayfarer. After reading through the latest AMA and the 2026 Roadmap, we’ve got ideas that didn’t make the cut… but probably should have. We’re talking about: Full game visibility across all Niantic titles on the new Wayfarer map Smarter duplicate...

In this episode, Chris and Jamal break down Niantic’s latest Wayfarer AMA — and ask the big question: did we actually learn anything new? The hosts review key updates like the upcoming Wayfarer Map and Web Submissions, giving Wayfinders more control to view, filter, and submit nominations directly online. They also discuss the return of “Generic Business” rejections, the promise of better reviewer...

This week, Jamal and Chris dive into one of the most unexpected Wayfarer updates we’ve seen in a while — Niantic’s new “Street Corner and Bus Stop Experiment” happening in France, Italy, and Spain. The guys break down: What these new “Niantic-generated” Wayspots mean for the Wayfarer system. Whether this is a bug, a test, or a hint of a larger criteria change. How this experiment could affect revi...

This week, Jamal and Chris dive into the latest Wayfarer updates and tackle some spicy community topics head-on. They discuss Tintino’s long-awaited post about test Wayspots in France, Italy, and Spain, and the recent Pokémon GO level rebalance that (thankfully) didn’t change Wayfarer access. The boys also revisit last week’s conversation about the Wayfarer forums — clarifying their stance on why...

This week, Jamal and Chris welcome two brand-new explorers to the Wayfarer family — xSpaceBarx and DarkerSolstice! They share what it’s like getting started in Wayfarer — the wins, the bumps, and how they found their rhythm. Plus, they bring their own Coal and Wayspot of the Week! Stick around for: ✅ Spatial / Scopely News ✅ Meet Our New Friends ✅ Hot Topics ✅ One’s Gotta Go — TV Shows Edition...

This week, Jamal and Chris dive into two of the biggest Wayfarer updates in months — the Wayfarer Recognition Emails and the new 2025–2026 Roadmap (complete with a MAP 👀). They share their thoughts, reactions, and what these updates might mean for explorers everywhere. Plus, don’t miss: ✅ Spatial / Scopely News ✅ Recognition Emails Breakdown ✅ Roadmap Deep Dive ✅ Tales from Canada ✅ Wayspots...

On this week's episode, the boys talk about the economy behind Wayfarer. Do people really get mad when Niantic/Scopely make money? They also talk about accessibility and if it's the responsibility of Pokémon Go or Wayfarer. Make sure to stick around for the Tales from Canada and the Dad Jokes! ✅ Spatial/Scopely News ✅ The Economics of Wayspots ✅Wayfarer and Accessibility ✅ One's Gotta Go - Nom...

On this week's episode, the boys talk about our friend and your friend and friend of the show... eMiLy, lots and lots about eMiLy. All this and more! Make sure to stick around for the Tales from Canada and the Dad Jokes! ✅ Spatial/Scopely News ✅ Did we take eMiLy for granted? ✅Ways to avoid an eMiLy rejection ✅ Tales from Canada?? ✅Wayspots/Coal of the Week ✅ Dad Jokes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

On this weeks episode, the boys talk about discuss Reviewing Psychology, why one reviewer may see something completely different than another reviewer. Also thy dip their toes into the dark side of S2 cells. All this and more! Make sure to stick around for One's Gotta Go and the Dad Jokes! Are you enjoying the video content? Send us a message and let us know! ✅ Spatial/Scopley News ✅The Psycholo...

On this week's episode, the boys talk about the reasons for removing POI's from the map. Good? Bad? Problematic? Confusing? Also, there was a post on social media about an Explorer getting banned for ten years. Chris digs in to the details. All this and more! Make sure to stick around for the Tales from Canada and the Dad Jokes! ✅ Spatial/Scopely News ✅ If not remove, why remove button? ✅TEN ye...

On this weeks episode, the boys talk about discuss Niantic/Scopely's decision to repurpose powerspots in India and Indonesia into Pokestops and Gyms. Will this throw off the blanace of power on the map? We are joined my Agent X and he weighs in as an expert on all things rural. Make sure to stick around for One's Gotta Go and the Dad Jokes! ✅ Spatial/Scopley News ✅ Did Niantic just repurpose? ✅...

On this week's episode, Chris hands some friendly tips to the new group of PoGo players that have found the forum recently. Also the boys talk about Power Spots and "gasp" S2 Cells! All this and more! Make sure to stick around for the Tales from Canada and the Dad Jokes! And the world premier of the new coal of the week song. ✅ Spatial/Scopely News ✅ Tips for the new PoGO crowd ✅Power Spots and...

On this weeks episode, the boys talk about discuss how to get help with your nominations and if that's cheating. Also, how many people do you need to be social? We debut the Agent X production, A banger of a sone. "What a few meters between friends" Make sure to stick around for One's Gotta Go and the Dad Jokes! ✅ Spatial/Scopley News ✅ Topic #1 - Getting Help with Your Nominations ✅ Topic #2 -...

On this week's episode, Chris reminds the class that multi-accounting is bad. He also lists out a "wish-list" for Scopely plus he makes the case of a new map! Make sure to stick around for the Tales from Canada and the Dad Jokes! And the world premier of the song "It's not that far, get out of your car". ✅ Spatial/Scopely News ✅ A Wish List For Scopely ✅ Tales from Canada ✅Wayspots/Coal of the...

On this weeks episode, the boys talk about talk about the level cap dropping, on going Scopely education and the need for a PoGO POI map. Make sure to stick around for One's Gotta Go and the Dad Jokes! ✅ Spatial/Scopley News ✅ Topic #1 - Educate me ✅ Topic #2 - I can't see without a map ✅ Ones Gotta go - Convenient Stores ✅Wayspots/Coal of the Week ✅ Dad Jokes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

On this week's episode, Chris gets passionate about indoor nominations and gives a few tips and tricks about how to get them approved. Chris also goes on a mini rant. It's good. Make sure to stick around for the Tales from Canada and the Dad Jokes! ✅ Spatial/Scopley News ✅ Topic #1 - Tips for Nominating Indoors ✅ Tales from Canada ✅Wayspots/Coal of the Week ✅ Dad Jokes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...