Pokémon Go Working On New Features To Allow For Indoor Play

The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in many countries implementing safety measures. One of these is telling people to stay in their homes to prevent the spread of the virus. While this may be good news, especially for parents, it's not so much for Pokémon Go players. After all, it's a game that requires players to walk around outside.

Fortunately, there's a silver lining in this crisis. It appears that developer Niantic has something up its sleeve for Trainers out there. Some game mechanics are going to be changed, albeit temporarily, in order to ensure the safety of players while making sure the fun is still there.

In a report from Polygon, it looks as if Pokémon Go is working on some updates that will allow the game to be enjoyed in individual settings. That's not all, as the game, according to the same report, is also increasing habitats so that Trainers will be able to encounter more monsters even when playing closer to home.

Niantic revealed in a post last week that a bundle of 30 Incense is available for a one-time pruchase of 1 PokéCoin. In addition, incense now lasts one hour. If you're new to the game, incense is an item that when activated, attracts more Pokémon. In addition, Pokémon that spawn as a result of the incense can only be caught by those who activated it.

Other changes that arrived to the game include being able to hatch Eggs in half the distance. PokéStops are now going to drop Gifts at a more frequent rate.

All of these changes are effective beginning March 12 until further notice.

Live Events Update

Last week, Pokémon Go announced in a post that it was postponing Safari Zone St. Louis, which was originally scheduled for March 27 to March 29. Currently the team over at Niantic is looking into possible dates over the next 12 months on when the event is going to happen.

Trainers who want to request a refund can do so using the in-app support. Refund requests are only accepted until March 26 at 2:59 a.m. ET. For those who aren't able to request for a refund in time, the tickets remain valid until the event is held at the new date.

So far two events are still scheduled to occur which are:

• Pokémon Go Safari Zone Liverpool
  • April 17-19
• Pokémon Go Safari Zone Philadelphia
  • May 8-10

Niantic said in a blog that they are going to "reassess the situation in early April" and that "regular gameplay and most in-game events can still be enjoyed by Trainers around the world." They did warn that the experience may be different for areas where the risk of COVID-19 is higher.

To all the Trainers out there, keep safe as you try to catch them all. And maybe it's best to just take a break for a little while.