Pokemon Go Dev Responds To Pandemic Bonus Removal Controversy

Pokemon Go developer Niantic has released a statement in response to the recent controversy surrounding its removal of some of the game's pandemic bonuses. The statement begins by thanking fans for their passion and explaining the studio's rationale for the changes, before going into its plans to look into further tweaks it can make to address players' concerns.

"The recent Exploration Bonus changes we've made in the US and New Zealand are designed to restore some of the foundational elements players enjoyed prior to 2020, and reward players once again for moving and exploring," Niantic explained. "Encouraging people to explore, exercise and safely play together in person remains Niantic's mission."

The statement then touches on one particular change that fans have taken umbrage with: reverting the distance from which you can interact with PokeStops and Gyms. Niantic doubled that distance to 80 meters as part of its measures to make Pokemon Go more enjoyable and easier to play amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but recently rolled it back not long after Pokemon Go Fest 2021 concluded.

"We have heard your feedback about one change in particular--that of the PokeStop and Gym interaction distance. We reverted the interaction distance from 80 meters back to the original 40 meters starting in the US and New Zealand because we want people to connect to real places in the real world, and to visit places that are worth exploring.

"However, we have heard your input loud and clear and so to address the concerns you have raised, we are taking the following actions: We are assembling an internal cross-functional team to develop proposals designed to preserve our mission of inspiring people to explore the world together, while also addressing specific concerns that have been raised regarding interaction distance. We will share the findings of this task force by the next in game season change (September 1). As part of this process, we will also be reaching out to community leaders in the coming days to join us in this dialogue."

Niantic's response comes just as Pokemon Go's second Ultra Unlock event kicks off. That runs from August 6-17 and features Pokemon from different regions, as well as Shiny Palkia. The third and final Ultra Unlock event begins on August 20 and introduces Pokemon from Sword and Shield, including the Legendaries Zacian and Zamazenta.