Wednesday's announcement by Niantic was that it would be reversing at least one of its controversial gameplay modifications to Pokmon Go. The company will increase the distance that you can travel from Pokstops or Gyms in real-world settings and still be able to interact with them. The new base limit is now 80 meters (262 feet), which was the distance Niantic set at the beginning of the pandemic.
The in-game interaction distance was reverted to 40m (131ft in New Zealand and the US) at the beginning of August. This disappointed many fans who had enjoyed the accessibility and COVID-19 safety benefits. Niantic has now announced that it will keep the increased distance indefinitely, as well as other changes on September 1.
Trainers - We were eager to share our plans with you as a result the task force's September 1 meeting. But, one thing is not over! PokStops worldwide will now have a base interaction radius of 80 meters. (1/2) Pokmon GO August 25, 2021 (@PokemonGoApp).
The complete Niantics changelog can be viewed here. However, it is worth mentioning the other changes that have been made in the US. If you aren't moving, incense used to attract wild Pokemon won't work as well. This is just like before the pandemic. Changes to Buddy Pokmon's gift frequency are also locked in.
Niantic's positive move is a sign of the company's willingness to be flexible to the needs and wants of its players. This may be due in part to the Niantic internal task force that was formed to address player concerns and the threat to boycott. Niantic will share the results of the task force's findings by September 1st, when the game season changes. It is best to stick with a longer interaction distance until then.
