The results of physical distance changes annoy some fans

Developer of Niantic, augmented reality game Pokemon Co., Began to withdraw some bonuses put in place during the Govt-19 epidemics. 1^{There is} In August, players from the United States and New Zealand noticed that using their smartphones reduced the distance they had to communicate with “boxstops” and “stadiums”. In March 2020, in order to practice this game, In accordance with the physical distance activities associated with the infection, to go out and meet others, The developers made sure to access the points of interest even more remotely, for example to make it easier to play from home.

Eliminate some of the changes that occurred in 2020 Announced in June. It already was Irritated some fans, But its use on Sunday sparked waves of discontent online.

“I was disappointed”, Transportman User writes Section Pokemon Co. From the Reddit forum. This feeling dominates many of the comments posted there. As Rustibencer writes, some players regret not being able to play at home anymore: “I can run four [Poké]Stands out of my apartment and now I can not even reach a place. I want to be next to them. “ Internet users regret spending too much time on this game. Player scolds F_en_el_Chat04 “No time to stop at every place or go through every Pokஸ்டstop” He said he suffered during his travels and the company’s willingness not to extend the temporary bonus.

Reality gaming is only of interest to increased internet users because it encourages them to go outside. « Pokemon Co. Five years motivated me to go out, Urudoraman responds to 1966. Reducing the distance is not important to me. “

However, other annoying athletes exemplify the benefits of physical distance-related activities for those with less mobility. They also point to new risks associated with infection due to the delta variant of SARS-Cov-2.

Results: A petition launched in June announcing the game’s progress has collected more than 141,000 signatures. On August 2, some particularly burned influencers He said they would ignore the game And I think the most loyal community of gamers didn’t listen to Niantic.

Wants to return to the Niantic basics

In a message sent to The world Tuesday August 3, Nyandik she promises To be continued “Follow health and safety recommendations related to outdoor activities ». Bonus removal has not yet been implemented in France. Players in the United States and New Zealand are encouraged to show interest « [l’introduction] New study bonus “.

Expelling players as much as possible is seen as one of its basics Pokemon Co. John Honkey, CEO and founder of Niantic. « Our basic purpose is to motivate people to an activity and gather outside, which is what sets us apart He described during an interview The The world In July. “So we have to make changes so we are very proud of this experience and it motivates us.” The latter also recalled that if some temporary bonuses were thought to be missing, others would be placed.

Released in 2016, the game, which can be played for free with in-app purchases, was able to pursue players by expanding its core concept — capturing Pokமொmon in an app based on our travels in the real world. For example, the social dimension of the game is enriched and the interactions with Pokemon are very different.

According to the American company AppAnnie, which specializes in measuring the audience for mobile applications, Pokemon Co. There are 35 million monthly active users. Presenting the game in more than 150 countries, Niantic announced its fifth anniversary Pokemon Co. 465 billion Pokemon have been captured and soldiers have traveled more than 49 billion kilometers through use. However, due to the epidemic it is not possible to know how many virtual creatures the soldiers sat on their beds and caught.