'Pokemon Go' Changes Base Limit to 80 Meters to Keep Players Socially Distanced Due to the Pandemic

Sophie Webster, Tech Times 26 August 2021, 02:08 pm

"Pokemon Go": players can expect a new radius to explore and interact with when going to PokeStops and Gyms. Game developers Niantic stated that they are making a significant change from their plan.

Pokemon Go Changes Radius

Niantic stated that the game's base interaction level will now be 80 meters instead of 40 meters.

The company announced the changes on Aug. 26 after several fans and numerous high-profile figures united in asking the company to rethink its plans to remove the doubled distance in certain countries after applying the changes in New Zealand and the United States.

The change came after the "Pokemon Go" Space Event that ran from Aug. 6 to Aug. 20.

Players have become used to the game's 80-meter radius ever since it was launched in 2019. Fans stated that the radius allowed them to play safely in busy areas, and it also created an accessible game for those with mobility issues.

In 2020, Niantic was firm on its stance that the increased interaction radius must be discontinued to encourage the players to go back outside and be active, according to Kotaku.

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The surprise announcement was released a couple of days before a planned statement by the company. A task force within Niantic had investigated the concerns within the gaming community over the feature being removed.

The statement is still expected to come, and the company suggested that it still has more plans to discuss the changes. When the next in-game season starts, fans can expect to hear more about the issue on Sept. 1.

For now, players are happy and surprised at Niantic's change of heart, even after several players and high-profile content creators called for the developer to reconsider its decision.

The "Pokemon Go" community had called on the players to stop spending money in the game or stop playing in protest, with several YouTubers joining in, according to EuroGamer.

Niantic wrote in their announcement that they would be sharing more about their decision on Sept. 1. The company added that they were aware of the concerns within the community.

Niantic also stated that they will be fixing the other issues in "Pokemon Go" including the flashing lights that became a problem among photosensitive players.

Since the pandemic prevents people from staying close to each other, the 80-meter radius is enough to allow them to play and practice social distancing.

Choosing the 80 Meters Radius

According to the Pokemon Go Hub, the task force just double the original radius of 40 meters, and they did not do too much in-game testing.

Although this new radius seemed fine at the moment, the developers expressed concerns after they've done more playtesting. Open spaces worked better than urban areas and streets.

After a couple of playtesting, the original 40-meter distance was chosen because it felt right, and it worked well with GPS accuracy limitations.

Niantic shared that they are not satisfied with their decision, mostly because the increased distance interaction is in direct contrast with their vision that promotes movement and exploration.

The 80 meters is deemed too much for the company's taste, as players can barely see the PokeStop and Gyms, and there are usually random objects that obstruct the view, such as trees, roads, signs, and more.

The inconvenience of the 80-meter radius is what made the company decided to remove it last year, but then the pandemic happened. It requires people to be 6 feet away from each other, prompting the company to change its mind.