Pokemon GO’s microtransaction squeeze introduces Daily PokeCoin Field Research Ticket
If there's a group of gamers that loves to grumble, it's the Pokemon GO community. To be fair to those loyal trainers, they've stuck with Nianitc's mobile catch 'em all through thick and thin. It saw us through the pandemic, but eight years after Pokemon GO first arrived on the scene, its critics are more vocal than ever.
Aside from abysmal spawn rates and the removal of Remote Raid Passes leading to accusations of ableism, Pokemon GO's biggest gripe has been its aggressive use of microtransactions. After previously being called out for its 'scam' Remote Raid Boxes, the introduction of the Daily PokeCoin Field Research Ticket hasn't gone down well.
Pokemon GO quietly releases Daily PokeCoin Field Research Ticket
As of May 8, you might notice the Pokemon GO shop is a little different. For $1.99, you can buy the Daily Pokecoin Field Research ticket. It goes live on May 16, and by completing daily tasks, you'll be rewarded 20 PokeCoins today. It leads to a grand total of 300 if you complete them all.
Given how this is a 30% discount on what 300 PokeCoins would normally cost, it's a decent saving. However, others have seen a major problem. The fine print points out how you need to have a free slot to partake in your research otherwise it simply won't count.
Others have pointed out that the differences in currencies mean some are paying even more, depending on which territory they're in.
Players are Pokemon GO-ing elsewhere
When the argument spilled over onto Reddit, it was more than just paying for the ticket that rubbed you up the wrong way. One critic said, "If you need coins, Just pay $5 on the web store for 600 coins, it’s a better deal and you don’t have to worry about the stupid tasks, or not getting the tasks."
Someone else grumbled, "So Niantic took away the 20 free coins a day from tasks instead of gyms that they were testing for a while, decided it wasn’t worth implementing… Then decide roll out 20 coins a day that you’ve got to pay for instead? Really is Niantic in a nutshell."
A third concluded, "I was very close to hitting purchase since a free dollar sounds nice. I'm fine with putting a bit of money in here and there, and extra tasks are nice. But once I read that you need a free slot for it... F that noise."
It's yet another botched situation for the Pokemon GO PR department, and whether it thought it could slip the paid ticket in without us noticing or not, those ever-vigilant players won't give the team a break.
