Nov 07, 2016 03:16 PM EST By Eileen De Santos, UniversityHerald Reporter

"Pokemon GO" players will be happy to know that the game's tracker is working again. However, it's only available in San Francisco and a small handful of areas in the United States.

"Nearby" Tracker Working

"Pokemon GO" developer has finally updated the "Nearby" tracker feature. This tool basically informs players what kind of Pokemon is nearby. However, it's only currently available in the San Francisco Bay area, Seattle and some parts in Arizona although the developer did not specify which location, according to Slashgear.

What Happened To The Previous Tracker?

The previous tracker uses footprints to find Pokemon but it was immediately proven ineffective shortly after "Pokemon GO" was released. It was later removed but its replacement is only being introduced right now, according to tTechcrunch.

Third Party Trackers Fills The Void

The loss of the in-game tracker made it difficult for many "Pokemon GO" players to locate and capture Pokemon. As a result, various third party trackers offered their services to those who need them. However, most of them were using Niantic's API which did not sit well with the developer. One by one the third party trackers were taken out by Niantic's security updates. The last major independent tracker, FastPokeMap shut down recently.

This is the reason why many "Pokemon GO" players are anxiously awaiting Niantic's new "Nearby" tracker. Without a reliable Pokemon locator, players will be reduced to searching for them by chance. The onset of winter will also dampen the players' enthusiasm of going out looking for Pokemon without a working tracker, in-game or third party ones.

How Does The "Nearby" Tracker Work?

This new "Pokemon GO" tracker is quite different from the earlier one and not as specific. It simply shows a PokeStop where a Pokemon is nearby. Unfortunately, that will not be helpful to players who are not near a PokeStop. Hopefully, Niantic will modify and improve their new tracker to adjust to the present situation.

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