5 things removed from Pokemon GO recently, according to Reddit

Many trainers feel Pokemon GO is moving in the wrong direction (Image via Niantic)
Many trainers feel Pokemon GO is moving in the wrong direction (Image via Niantic)

The Pokemon GO community on Reddit has been discussing some of the recent negative changes made to the game by its developer Niantic.

There have been several changes to the game's mechanics that impact free-to-play trainers by prioritizing microtransactions. Needless to say, fans are a bit fed up.

A recent post on Reddit shared a long list of bonuses and freebies that have been removed from the game in the last nine months. Here are five of them that are more impactful and noticeable than the rest.


5 things users have spotted that Niantic has removed from Pokemon GO

5) Rare Candy drop rate

Rare Candies were made a lot more rare in Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)
Rare Candies were made a lot more rare in Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)

Rare Candies often drop when players defeat a Raid Pokemon or a Team GO Rocket member. However, these have a different use in Pokemon GO than they do in the main games of the franchise.

Trainers can use Rare Candies to increase the Candy owned of a specific Pokemon. This can help with evolving them, increasing CP, or learning new moves. The rate at which they drop has been massively reduced.


4) Free Ultra Balls

Ultra Balls are in the top tier of Poke Balls (Image via The Pokemon Company)
Ultra Balls are in the top tier of Poke Balls (Image via The Pokemon Company)

A lot of the changes being made point to Niantic wanting players to make more purchases. One thing free-to-play players sorely miss is the free Ultra Balls.

A free Community Day box of 30 Ultra Balls was given prior to the Community Day taking place. This ensured trainers would be stocked up before having to catch a large amount of the same creature. However, this is no longer the case.


3) Community Day length

The most recent Pokemon GO Community Day featured Roggenrola (Image via Niantic)
The most recent Pokemon GO Community Day featured Roggenrola (Image via Niantic)

The length of each Pokemon GO Community Day has been cut in half. They were made to last for six hours at one point, and there was no indication that they would ever be changed.

Well, Niantic has reduced it to a three-hour window rather than a six-hour window. This leaves players with much less time to complete the Research Missions and find a rare shiny version of the featured Pokemon.


2) Incense Spawn Rate

Incenses just don't work like they used to (Image via Niantic)
Incenses just don't work like they used to (Image via Niantic)

An Incense in Pokemon GO is a good way to attract more Pokemon to the player. It used to bring a Pokemon to the trainer's location every 60 seconds if they decided to use one while sitting on their couch or just hanging out somewhere.

Not moving while using an Incense has been completely nerfed. Niantic removed the 60-second spawn rate and replaced it with a 300-second spawn rate for players not moving while an Incense is active. It makes sense to encourage trainers to be on the move while playing the game, but the change hasn't been received well.


1) Weekly 1-Coin Box

A look at the contents of a prior Weekly 1-Coin Box in Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)
A look at the contents of a prior Weekly 1-Coin Box in Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)

This is perhaps the most devastating removal from Pokemon GO. Coins can be earned by placing Pokemon in Gyms for those who don't want to or can't spend real money. It can be quite the process, however.

The weekly boxes that cost a single PokeCoin made the effort worth it, providing a Remote Raid Pass, Berries, Poke Balls, and more for trainers to use. Those were later taken away, giving free-to-play trainers one less way to gather items and enjoy the game.