VIDEO: Niantic Opens up Pokémon GO Nearby Tracker Beta Testing

Well, it finally happened!!! The Nearby tracking tool that we’ve all been asking Niantic for has launched. Though it isn’t everywhere yet, it’s out in my state(!) and in many more places around the world.

Here’s Niantic’s official statement:

Trainers,

After reviewing your feedback, we have made some changes to the Nearby feature we were originally testing in San Francisco, California. We have changed the feature to only show the Nearby feature if a PokéStop is close to your location. In addition, we have also made changes to the way Sightings now works.

We will be expanding the ability for Trainers to test this updated version of the features and provide us with feedback. Starting today, Trainers in the following areas will now be able to use the new Nearby and Sightings functionality:
– United States of America: All states west of the Mississippi River (except Hawaii and Alaska)
– Canada: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the western half of Ontario.
– Australia: All states and territories

Your feedback submitted to all of our official social media accounts and posted in other channels is important to us. We will continue to review community feedback and make changes if necessary.

Our first six months has been nothing short of exciting and your continued support has been inspiring. We have a lot of content, features, and functionality that we will be implementing over the coming months and years. Our goal is to always improve on existing features where we can while also releasing exciting new content and functionality.

The Pokémon GO team

Where I live in Missouri is barely west of the Mississippi, but I’m not complaining. Sorry Illinois!

For proof, here’s a step-by-step look – plus accompanying screenshots – I just put together a couple minutes ago.

When I click on the tracking tool, this is the screen that pops up. I had already selected that Eevee beforehand, which is why it has that pink circle around it.

Photo Credit: Justin Gardner

Once I clicked on the Eevee, this next screen pops up. Something fun to note here: the photo doesn’t show it, but the Pokémon are animated in this view.

Photo Credit: Justin Gardner

I clicked the footprints to go to the next screen, and it takes me to the overhead view of the PokéStop this Eevee is located by.

It stays in this view for a few seconds, then transitions to the next view.

Photo Credit: Justin Gardner

Below is the final view for the tracker, which lets you know where the PokéStop is in relation to where you’re standing.

Another thing to note is that the pink circle is still around the Eevee I selected (bottom right corner). Also, you can select a Pokémon from anywhere in the Nearby view, including at the bottom, and once you click it and track it, it becomes the first Pokémon in the shortened view.

Photo Credit: Justin Gardner

Wouldn’t you know it, the Eevee fled before I could get to it. Luckily, this new tracker tool will also tell you when that happens!

Photo Credit: Justin Gardner

The tracker tool was super fast, had its own sound effects, and worked really well. It’s not anything different from other reports, but, when you finally get it, I’m sure you’ll be just as excited as I am!

Also, I didn’t see Sightings on my tracker, but there were nine Pokémon around me, so that might pop up when there are fewer Pokémon around.

If you’d like to see how the tool works in a video, Nick from Trainer Tips has you covered.