Niantic Ends Pokémon Go Special Pandemic Bonus

In a shocking new revelation, Niantic has ended the Pokémon GO Special Pandemic bonus. The news is shocking because no one expected this move from Niantic, and it might not be a great move at all. We are still hit by the COVID19 pandemic and at this stage, the decision is a little hard to understand.

Advantages of the Bonus

We all know Pokémon GO is an outdoor game that requires you to step out and find new Pokémon and Pokéstops. Stepping out too much wasn’t an option during widespread lockdowns, hence Niantic introduced these bonuses. It helped players in achieving their objectives while at the same time, practicing social distancing. Here are some of the benefits it offered:

• No need to cross the street to engage with certain PokéStops and Gyms.
• You were able to interact with PokéStops/Gyms from safer locations.
• You could raid more discreetly from further away to avoid possible harassment from others.
• Players were allowed to continue walking at a regular pace rather than having to stop slowing down for collecting items.
• You could mitigate the issues of drift

Why It Is a Bad Move

Obviously, fans all over the world are enraged over this unexpected move by Niantic and are criticizing it over the internet. The introduction of the bonus was a really good move and it benefitted everyone. Players benefited in obvious ways and Niantic benefitted by retaining the player base. The main issue is that pandemic isn’t fixed yet, so there was no need to end a mutually benefitting scheme.

• This move negatively affects the game and can lead to a severe drop in its quality as well as the player base. The range has been decreased from 80 meters to 40 meters, which means now players will have to step out more. It would only create problems as lockdowns aren’t over yet in many countries. Apart from this, there has been a surge in COVID cases owing to the delta wave, which makes this move a bit hard to digest.
• Why would the production company of such a big game decide to do something like this? Could it be because of the sponsors of Pokéstops? Well, no one knows yet. One thing is for sure, it might prove to be a horrendous move and might lead to a steep decline in the player base. Polls on some popular communities already suggest that fans are outraged and might stop playing the game. Rest remains to be seen.

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