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Niantic Ceases PokéCoin Trial Changes In Pokémon GO

Niantic has announced that they are discontinuing PokéCoin-rewards testing in Pokémon GO that is currently happening in multiple countries. Here is what that means and a breakdown of who will be impacted by this change in the game.

Pokécoin promotional image in Pokémon GO. Credit: Niantic
Pokécoin promotional image in Pokémon GO. Credit: Niantic

Niantic announced this week via their official Pokémon GO blog:

Based on Trainer feedback and collected data, this PokéCoin-rewards test will be discontinued in all test countries (Australia, Germany, New Zealand, and Taiwan). The PokéCoin-rewards system in those countries will revert to the existing system on Thursday, November 5, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. local time. We appreciate Trainers' participation in the test, and we'll continue to look for ways to improve how players can earn PokéCoins.

These PokéCoin-rewards tests were originally announced by Niantic on May 6th, 2020. The countries involved in this test were given a series of tasks that replaced the normal way to earn PokéCoins in Pokémon GO. Generally, PokéCoins are earned when trainers leave Pokémon in Gyms for a certain amount of time. One PokéCoin is earned for every ten minutes that a Pokémon stays in the Gym, with a max of fifty PokéCoins per day. What these limited-location trails did was introduce new tasks that trainers could complete instead of relying solely on the Gym system, with changes made to the limit of gym-earned PokéCoins added. The tasks included:

  • Make an Excellent throw
  • Evolve a Pokémon
  • Make a Great Throw
  • Use a Berry to catch a Pokémon

And other tasks that players will find familiar. There were certain tasks, mostly Battle-focused, that led to negative feedback, but the end of these trails does come as somewhat of a surprise as Niantic's last post about these trials said:

We've seen some promising results from the limited PokéCoin-rewards test and have found that more Trainers are receiving free PokéCoins than ever before. Trainers who cannot readily access Gyms have been able to earn PokéCoins through a wider variety of featured activities.

It seems as if something has changed, because now, as of early next month, that's a wrap on the current trials. Bleeding Cool will report if any additional changes are made to the way currency is accrued in Pokémon GO.


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Theo DwyerAbout Theo Dwyer

Theo Dwyer writes about comics, film, and games.
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