Niantic Came Under Fire And Made Changes to Pokemon Go In Response
Niantic first launched Pokemon Go in 2016 and it took the world by storm, leading millions of people around the world to gather in the most random places in search of legendary, nostalgic and cool Pokemon. The game is available on both iOS and Android. Unfortunately, by the very nature of the game, Pokemon Go has been stunted by the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, Niantic has had to make significant changes following feedback from its fans.
Recently, Niantic made the decision to reduce the radius or social distancing feature of the game in both New Zealand and the United States of America. The company would have made the decision based on both country’s fight against Covid-19 and uptick in vaccinations. However, the result was that many players would have to congregate together, and in the United States, with a recent upsurge in cases, this has become a health issue.
In response to feedback on the change, Niantic stated the reason for decision as, “the recent Exploration Bonus changes we’ve made in the U.S. 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. Encouraging people to explore, exercise and safely play together in person remains Niantic’s mission.”
The company noted the impact of the virus and the change of interaction distance from 80 meters to 40 meters. In response, the company has assembled a cross-functional team to develop proposals to keep people inspired to explore, while addressing concerns about the interaction distance. The findings of the team will be shared in the game’s next season starting 1st September.
Do you play Pokemon Go? What are your thoughts on the changes made by Niantic? How are you playing in the pandemic? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter and Facebook.