Spinoff/Mobile Certain bonuses introduced during start of pandemic are being removed

[Sheep]

https://pokemongolive.com/post/hello-world-pokemon-go/?hl=en

The following bonuses will be getting removed from Pokémon GO soon:

• Over the past year, Incense effectiveness was increased to attract Pokémon to you more frequently, even if you weren't able to leave home. After the change, this effectiveness will be set at the standard level when you're stationary and increased effectiveness will kick in when you are moving.
• Previously, your Buddy Pokémon brought you more Gifts each day, up to five gifts at once and up to three times a day. This was because we knew Trainers were running low on supplies like Poké Balls and berries to help them catch Pokémon. As we move to encouraging Trainers to play outside more, they can continue to receive supplies from spinning PokéStops. After the change, the frequency of these gifts from Buddy Pokémon will be reduced.
• Previously, PokéStop and Gym interaction distances were increased, to enable people to engage from further away. After this change the distance will revert back to the standard distance, when it makes sense in different places, though may be increased during future events and as part of certain features.

I'm really sad to see that bigger spin distance will be getting removed. I understand that these features were introduced with the intention of being temporary, but things as major as this have made the GO experience infinitely better for players, and many returned/started playing a lot more because of it. I won't be in range of our home stop anymore after this either, which sucks. After having it for a whole year, it will be very tough to adjust back. It's also not a great look that Niantic are speaking as if the pandemic is over and we should go back outside, when many places are going through second/third+ waves

What do you guys think?

 

[bobandbill]

Baddy bad. I don't see a strong case for reverting the stop/gym distance to before, just issues and pissing off the playerbase. Maybe they figure less stop interaction = less items, ergo more reason to buy items, but I think it just means more people will reduce playing.

 

[Louise90]

Man that is sad I got so use to having lots of Pokémon around my house

 

[Caite-chan]

I really think it's a bad idea because I think states like Michigan where I'm from were one of the last to lift COVID restrictions. They can't act like everything is all fine and dandy because it's not. They should keep things just the way they were because more people will play if they are still stuck inside.

 

[greenxtea]

Oh man, yeah, just so many issues with this decision. Incense effectiveness and the number of buddy gifts are fine in that they don't affect the fundamental way we interact with the game. I can see the argument for buddy gifts acting as the only method some rural players have access to common items but by keeping the incredibly useful interaction distance at its current range we can ensure the maximum amount of players can enjoy their experience (including some of those rural players!).

The entire core of this game is to encourage exploration and cooperation, which explains their reasoning for reverting the interaction distance, but they mentioned in the same update that they're going to introduce an entirely new bonus where we get 10x(!) experience for spinning a new pokestop. Now that encourages exploration. Reverting the interaction distance only serves to be harmful for people who relied on it to even just play at all.

Also, the fact they mentioned the return of EX raids felt like a little out of touch. Anyway, happy 4x catch experience day for everyone playing!