As you would expect, the maps are being visited by huge numbers of people, so don’t be surprised if they too, ironically enough, give you a message saying that they’re experiencing server issues.
The first map is called Pokécrew, which uses your location to zoom in and tell you where nearby Pokémon might be. If you have trouble accessing Pokécrew but live in the Boston area, never fear, there’s another map specifically for you. It’s called Gotta Catch ‘Em All, and it lists all the locations where players have found Pokémon, including those ultra-rare ones. Pokémapper, a third map, uses your location to show you where Pokémon might be hiding, but it does take some time to load.
It’s a little unfortunate that the maps are best accessed on a computer rather than a phone — it will require some forward planning. There are two self-proclaimed maps apps for Android, Map for Pokémon Go: PokémonMap and Pokémap: Find Your Go Pokémons. However, according to reviews of the apps, neither of them seem to work as advertised. We encourage caution downloading these apps, as Pokémon Go guides, maps, and alleged cheats are sure to become a prime method of distributing malware.
For many, part of the fun of Pokémon Go is getting out there and hunting down Pokémon as you, well, go. Using maps kind of defeats that purpose. Not only that, but these maps certainly aren’t a guarantee that you’ll find anything rare, especially if you’re a lower level. There is some evidence that wild Pokémon tend to pop up in the same locations, however the details on how often they appear are still sketchy. All the maps really show is where Pokémon have appeared in the past.
