Niantic brings back increased distances in Pokémon GO in wake of fans outcry
Some of the Pokémon GO changes, designed to meet the pandemic restrictions, are now back in the game. Niantic listened to players who raised concerns about the decision to abandon the distancing rules.
Pokémon GO
Niantic shared the news on Twitter. The studio brought back the 80-meter interaction radius for PokéStops and Gyms globally.
It should provide more space for social distancing, so people wouldn’t have to come too close to hotspots to compete with other players. “Thank you to everyone who made your voices heard,” the company wrote. “We’ve heard you and understand that this has been a welcome benefit to many players.”
Trainers – we’re looking forward to sharing our plans as a result of the task force on September 1, but one thing does not have to wait! From now on, 80 meters will be the base interaction radius for PokéStops and Gyms globally. (1/2)
— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) August 25, 2021
Last year, Niantic made a few changes to Pokémon GO to let people play the game without violating social distance and other pandemic protocols. For example, users could keep interacting with the game while staying at home.
A lot of fans, however, criticized the company for abandoning some of these changes this year. Earlier this month, Niantic formed an internal task force to address the community’s concerns. It promises to share the results on September 1.
