At the end of July 2021, the Corona bonuses were abolished in Pokémon GO in New Zealand and the USA. Now the Corona bonuses are returning in some areas. We explain why and show you the reactions from the community.
What is it about? In connection with the Corona pandemic, Niantic introduced various Corona bonuses in Pokémon GO in 2020 that made it easier for trainers to play from home. This included an increased radius of PokéStops and Gyms, as well as a longer-lasting, more efficient incense.
Now the developers wanted to return to their original game concept and allow more outdoor activities. For this reason, they phased out the Corona bonuses at the end of July 2021 in New Zealand and the USA. This met with a lot of criticism in the community. However, there has now been a turnaround, and the Corona bonuses will be returning in some areas.
Why are the Corona bonuses returning? Due to the rising Corona numbers, New Zealand declared a warning level 4 and thereby restricted public life again. For this reason, Niantic announced on the night of August 18 via Twitter that New Zealand will temporarily regain the Corona bonuses:
These are the reactions from the community
The withdrawal of the Corona bonuses already sparked much discussion and criticism in the community at the end of July. The reason for this was the ongoing Corona pandemic and the resulting recurring regional restrictions. Individual players even threatened to boycott the game and felt the decision was a slap in the face.
However, even after the official announcement regarding the return of the Corona bonuses in New Zealand, the trainers remain angry. This is because the Corona numbers are still very high in other parts of the world, such as the USA. There, trainers cannot use the Corona bonuses anymore. These are the reactions from the community:
- aznknight613 (via reddit.com): “5 confirmed cases in New Zealand and they have reinstated it. Meanwhile in the USA …”
- CaffeinatedGuy (via reddit.com): “Over here, on the rising side of a Delta wave, FEMA and the National Guard have been activated and are sending people. The emergency room now has a tent. But yes, there’s nothing to see here. Everything is fine in the USA.”
- ItsFleeceKing (via twitter.com): “Finally! A quick reaction and a much-needed change. Thank you, Niantic! But why couldn’t this reaction and change happen globally? Clearly, you are able to implement this quickly.”
Does Niantic not care about the players?
The reactions from the community show that Niantic has not implemented consistent rules regarding the Corona bonuses. The reddit user urkldajrkl is astonished and convinced that this decision was not made based on Corona numbers, but rather due to legal requirements (via reddit.com).
Many trainers find this not so unlikely, because despite the high numbers and the vehement demands of the players, the Corona bonuses remain withdrawn in the USA. A reason for this seems to be that there are no uniformly raised warning levels or measures, such as a lockdown.
This is different in New Zealand. Here, corresponding measures have been decided, which also have an impact on the players of Pokémon GO. This is also confirmed by the reddit user Telpe, who points out that New Zealand goes into lockdown as soon as there is a confirmed Corona case (via reddit.com).
Trainers demand action from Niantic
The community is angry about Niantic’s approach. They are therefore demanding the return of the Corona bonuses also in the USA. The Twitter user FlappleSnapple writes that the USA is drowning in cases and that just because the government is doing nothing, it doesn’t mean it’s not serious (via twitter.com). He therefore calls on Niantic to take action.
Kvales agrees, writing: “This must be a joke. Just because we are not classified as ‘alert level 4’ at the federal level doesn’t mean that the USA isn’t losing people to Covid on a scale never seen before. And many of us choose to follow social distancing guidelines even when not mandated” (via twitter.com).
The reddit user Duarjo has a completely different opinion and writes: “The world hasn’t left Covid behind and there’s hate against Niantic, but the USA had Spring Break, Japan had an Olympics, people went to concerts in France… Niantic can’t be guided by what people think, but rather by what governments consider logical” (via reddit.com).
Whether Niantic will bow to these demands and reintroduce the Corona bonuses on a broad scale is uncertain. A crucial role could also be played by the experts round announced by Niantic, which is to be convened due to the ongoing criticism of the withdrawal of the Corona bonuses. As soon as there is new information regarding the Corona bonuses, you will learn about it here, on MeinMMO.
What do you think about Niantic bringing back the Corona bonuses in New Zealand now? Do you wish for a uniform solution as well? Or do you agree with the reddit user Duarjo that it is correct for Niantic to follow the respective guidelines of the individual countries? Please share your opinion here in the comments.
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