Ethan: You know to be honest I don't have a lot of fun stories regarding riding in the van most of my experiences really happen outside the van interacting with the community. Many of nights have I spent too many hours drinking at the bar with agents.
Ethan: I have met a lot of amazing people all over and many of those people I now consider very real friends
BTSC reporter: Socialzing is always the best part…… Do I count as one, too? 😜
BTSC reporter: Glad knowing your agent side - as a serious RES agent before joining NIA, how do you balance your role between being agent and being staff? Do you feel being an active agent sometimes dragging you in fulfilling your job?
Behind The Scanner Chinese
BTSC reporter: Glad knowing your agent side - as a serious RES agent before joining NIA, how do you balance your role between being agent and being staff? Do you feel being an active agent sometimes dragging you in fulfilling your job?
Ethan: That's a balance I've struggled with for a long time and over the past 2 years or so I feel like I've found that balance of very casual gameplay while focusing most of my energy into the NL events. It helps to promote a unbiased image and that unfortunately means I can't be as agressive in my game play like I used to be when I was just an agent
BTSC reporter: Happy knowing this! As a wrap up of questions from us today, can you share some prospect of NL-1331 project and future expansions with us? What do you see in NL-1331 evolving in a few years?
Ethan: That's a really good question and I can only speculate on where we go next. I think in terms of my available bandwidth there are more places that I would like to visit than we have days in the year. But our next logical move is start exploring South America which has been long overdue for NL events. I think my dream scenario is to have several vans running in parallel with each other with several different pilots while I coordinate events from HQ. It's hard though because I've worked so hard to get NL to where it is now and I'm having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that I need to let go so that we can bring the experience to the broader community.
BTSC reporter: That would be some serious evolvement and I'm looking forward to that as much as yours.
BTSC reporter: We got questions overwhelming about one thing - will NL come to all Greater China region?
Returns to Taiwan? Going to Hong Kong and Macau? Or - the China mainland?
Returns to Taiwan? Going to Hong Kong and Macau? Or - the China mainland?
Ethan: I actually spoke to Hilda one of the APAC community managers and we have a loose plan to visit Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea in November.
BTSC reporter: Tell us what's your favorite Chinese food and then will you come to China as an agent for some fun?
Ethan: Sweet and sour pork is one of my favorite dishes. I'm not sure if that's authentic Chinese.
Ethan: I think Niantic has big plans for the future and I can't say anything but those plans will dictate when I come to China. I did come to Beijing a few years back and enjoyed my time there. As for when I'll come back as an agent that's tough to say.
BTSC reporter: Anytime it'll be serious fun.
The last question - is it really that awesome to drive with flip-flops?
The last question - is it really that awesome to drive with flip-flops?
BTSC reporter: That's all our interview with Ethan Lepouttre today! Thank you so much, Ethan for bringing us all the in depth and candid answers. Wish NL-1331 and you a prospect future!