In Pokémon GO, a new feature is currently being tested. This feature is not only astronomically expensive but also offers only limited rewards.
What is this feature? Trainers in Pokémon GO living in Australia and New Zealand are currently testing a new feature in the game. This is known as the “Reward Road.” It is a type of battle pass.
Instead of progressing through game activities, you must spend real money to collect points that unlock various rewards.
This feature has caused a lot of confusion in the community – because the implementation in its current form is disastrous.
A lot of money, few items, hardly any time
How does the Reward Road work? On the Reward Road, you collect points to unlock a total of 10 levels. To collect points, you must spend real money. You cannot use PokéCoins, as mentioned on pokemongolive.com. It states:
Purchases must be made with real currency. There are no reward points for purchases made with PokéCoins, Pokémon GO gift cards, or for buying tickets for live events.
The points and rewards from this feature expire at the end of each month. So you need to collect points again every month. If you reached level 3 in the current month and the month changes, you will start again at level 0 in the next month.
What rewards are available? For each level you unlock on the Reward Road, you receive rewards. These include items and stickers that vary from level to level.
A trainer posted on Reddit all levels with their rewards. If you reach all levels in the Reward Road, you will receive the following rewards:
- 21 stickers
- 15 premium battle passes
- 3 incense
- 1 lucky egg
- 1 star piece
- 2 lures
- 16 egg incubators
- 3 max revives
- 3 max potions
- 3 silver pinap berries
- 3 golden razz berries
How expensive are the points? The exact number of points you receive for your purchases cannot yet be conclusively determined. Reports on social media range from $500 to $700, though it is not entirely clear whether this refers to American, Australian, or New Zealand dollars.
Even in the cheapest scenario (500 New Zealand dollars), it would be converted to nearly €280 that you would have to spend each month to reach the final level of the pass. If it is 700 US dollars, then the amount would even grow to nearly €666 when converted.
What does the community say about it? The current implementation of the feature has met with confusion and sharp comments within the community, with some trainers believing that this feature is not so bad. Some of the comments on Reddit say:
- “TLDR: Give us more money, please. This game is getting way too greedy,” writes thiccynyx
- “They are ruining the game so much with their greed,” comments Moonfallthefox
- “[..] They can count themselves lucky that people love Pokémon; otherwise, it would end up like every other one of their games,” comments kevin07pm
- “This is no different than a loyalty card. It really isn’t a big deal and shouldn’t affect whether you spend money or not if you’re being reasonable,” notes PRIMERC
- “Honestly, this doesn’t bother me; it’s a loyalty card for the supermarket. It’s unobtrusive as long as it’s not the only way to get essentials,” writes tyreck
Whether and when this feature will exit the testing phase and be rolled out globally to all trainers is still unknown.
The new season in Pokémon GO, titled “Dual Destiny,” has begun. As usual, you can expect many events and some highlights in the season, such as legendary Pokémon, making a look at the game worthwhile: All content of the new season in Pokémon GO.
