As Winter Approaches, A Core Problem With Playing 'Pokémon GO' Remains

We should be on the verge of Pokémon GOannouncing its second annual Thanksgiving event. Here in Chicago, it’s 40 degrees and pouring. We’ve already had our first snow, and by the time I return from the holiday, I expect temperatures to nosedive. Not exactly conducive for hunting virtual monsters outdoors.

Pokémon GO has always had a unique challenge in that it is one of the only video games in existence that requires you to go outside to play it. As such, winter is a real concern for players when the entire game revolves around that concept. My iPhone still has a crack in it from when I fumbled it with frozen hands and dropped it on the sidewalk last January…while attempting to play Pokémon GO.

Last fall/winter was a bit different for Pokémon GO. Even if interest in the game was not “everyone on the street is playing it” level like in July, it was still a hugely popular time for the game, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s brought with them the game’s very first “holiday” events and special bonuses that would make you brave the cold if you were a dedicated player, and many did. I remember walking around in my parking garage when it was 15 degrees out to try and hatch Gen 2 babies from eggs last December.

That is…probably not going to happen this time around. Interest in the game has faded generally, and I think Niantic is going to have a tough time getting the northern hemisphere to battle and catch things outside, at least on the level they did last year.

That’s why it’s about time for Pokémon GO to take on one of its biggest issues. While the core of the game can and should remain going outside to explore and catch things, there needs to besomething for players to do while indoors or sitting still. To lack those kind of activities is to lose your audience to literally any other mobile game on the market.

Niantic

Pokemon GO in Yokohama

Right now in Pokémon GO you can do the following while indoors/not moving:

• Use incense to cost-inefficiently farm underwhelming Pokémon
• Spin stops, use lures or fight at gyms that happen to be in whatever building you’re in (if you’re very lucky)
• Sort through your collection, trashing bad Pokémon and using Stardust and Candy to upgrade good ones

I want Pokémon GO to draw on examples from other games. A few ideas:

• Emulating Magikarp Jump, another Pokémon title, there could be a little “babysit your favorite Pokémon” minigame where you feed them, play with them, train them, etc. Maybe that could give you small amounts of XP, Stardust and candy, with daily caps.
• Emulating Marvel’s Contest of Champions, when you run out of questing energy in that game, you’re still allowed to play “arena” almost infinitely, a basic PvE mode that lets you grind for currency and hone your skills. Pokémon GO could have a “training battle” mode where you can face off against different AI opponents to bolster your tapping and dodging skills, but also earn currency that way.
• Emulating…I don’t even know, any other mobile game, Pokémon GO could insert even a nonsensical minigame that’s like Pokémon-themed Bejeweled or Peggle orAngry Birds or playing “Who’s that Pokémon?” where it would at least be something you could mess around with while at home, and still feel like you’re at least making some amount of progress even if you’re just earning a pittance of XP or Stardust.

The point is that Pokémon GO simply needs more activities and at least some of them should be based around playing the game indoors/while not moving in order to keep players engaged. Yes, the primary focus of the game should remain going places in the real world, as it shouldn’t lose focus on that unique, essential mechanic. But sitting here, not wanting to go outside even to get food, much less play Pokémon GO, I wish there wassomething to do in the game to keep me occupied, even if it was just a stupid minigame or battle training or playing fetch with Pikachu. This notion has stuck with me over the past year and this winter, seems like more of a pressing issue than ever.

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