[maxsilver]

> From the chart it looks like third party API clients were generating two thirds of total traffic. That is a lot.

True, but I don't know if that's a fair metric. The Third Party API clients were the only effective way to play the game (because unlike real Pokemon games, "Go" focuses almost exclusively on the act of finding and catching, instead of training. And finding and catching doesn't actually work in their own client)

Effectively, Ninantic has "gotten traffic under control" by banning all non-beginner-level players and play strategies. It's like if YouTube decided to "manage traffic" by removing every video from PewDiePie.

[spotman]

Your analogy might be fair, but to continue it all the way, it would be like them turning off ability for others to upload pewdiepie videos so that they have the resources to give him his own you tube branded channel.

Which we know, hasn't happened yet, but it's an important part of the direction they are going.