Players have been calling for an update for the Rocket Balloons in Pokémon GO for a long time. So far, there have been no items as rewards, unlike battles at PokéStops. But for some selected trainers, this seems to have changed.
What’s going on with the balloons? The user BufoAmoris created a reddit thread where they report additional rewards for defeating a Rocket Grunt.
The Rocket Balloon they challenged provided the trainer with 15 Pokéballs as an additional reward.
The Rocket Balloons were introduced with an update in July 2020. They fly through the world and when you click on them, you fight against a Rocket Grunt or one of the bosses.
Does everyone get the new reward? The Pokéballs for defeating a Rocket Balloon seem to be available only for selected players. In the thread, many players report not receiving any additional rewards.
The region does not seem to play a role. BufoAmoris is from the USA and another player who received Pokéballs is from the Australian time zone.
On the other hand, players from the USA, Canada, and Australia also reported not receiving the additional reward.
Rocket Balloons could become mobile PokéStops
Why is this so interesting? Trainers have been wishing for the Rocket Balloons to function as a kind of mobile PokéStop for a long time. So far, the random battles against Grunts or bosses have not been worthwhile for many.
At least the issue with the missing item rewards seems to be addressed now.
What are the initial reactions? The reddit user jedispyder is happy about the additional balls and especially about their large number:
That corresponds to spinning 5 stops (since I only seem to get 3 balls per normal stop). That’s pretty good news.
Many other users on reddit view the adjustment positively. However, there are also a few players who actually have too many balls and are discarding them.
Balloons as mobile PokéStops? While many are excited about the new rewards, the user erto66 is a bit more reserved. For him, it would be important that the balloons not only provide rewards but also count for daily spins:
I think players who want them to function like one-time PokéStops are also hoping for daily spins. Of course, we could all use more items, especially Pokéballs.
But there are people who cannot go outside at the moment, and that means they have no chance to spin 7 stops in a row. An important game mechanic for obtaining evolution items, for example.
Whether the balloons will actually be changed to function as PokéStops remains open for now.
In addition to the adjustments to the balloons, Niantic is currently also working on experience points. The new system primarily brings more XP for great throws:
Pokémon GO: Testers report – Ten times the XP for great throws
