Pokemon Go update encourages players to stay home

Social distancing and augmented-reality mobile games like Pokemon Go don’t exactly go hand in hand. With flights, events, conferences, and other gatherings postponed or outright canceled thanks to concerns over the coronavirus, should players just pack it in and stay home for the foreseeable future? (Probably!)

At least in Pokemon Go’s case, the creator, Niantic, is tweaking the sport to compensate.

“The safety of our global player community is our top
priority,” the developer said. “COVID-19 is challenging us and,
therefore, the world to regulate. “We’re putting our specialize in
expanding features and experiences in our games, which will be enjoyed in a
private setting, which also encourages exploration!”

The Abra Community Day event scheduled for March 15, 2020,
was delayed indefinitely.

Going forward, “Pokémon habitats will increase, and
more Pokémon are going to be appearing within the wild,” “PokéStops
will now drop Gifts more frequently,” and incubated Eggs will hatch in
half the traditional time.

Pokémon Go players also can now devour a “one-time
purchase bundle of 30 Incense for 1 PokéCoin.” Considering what proportion
Incense normally costs – last I checked, it was 2,500 PokéCoins for 25 Incense
– that’s a staggering price cutting. One of these things will bring Pokémon to
your location for an hour.

It’s getting to be tough to regulate to the old values once
Niantic reverts these changes.

I’m not a Pokemon Go regular, but almost everything I had lined up for subsequent several months was pushed back, canceled, or impacted by COVID-19. Everyone has been affected in big and little ways.

We’re fortunate that we have a hobby that lets us occupy home for long periods and not totally lose our minds, but that’s just the bright side.