Pokemon GO player notes in-game shop's "biggest scam," Reddit joins in

Niantic's Pokemon GO team has made some questionable decisions throughout the game's life, but one thing a lot of players can agree on is that the game's in-app store is filled with terrible deals. The shop is easily one of the most controversial aspects of the mobile game, following many of Niantic's changes through recent years.

Many fans of the title on Reddit have been paying close attention to Niantic's shady pricings in the store and the many "scams" that can come from it. With new players coming to the game every day, it can be helpful to know what to look out for when considering a microtransaction.

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Reddit reacts to Pokemon GO's suspicious store pricings

What’s the biggest scam to ever be in the shop? byu/Neat-Restaurant-8218 inpokemongo

This issue was brought up recently by a user of the Pokemon GO subreddit, where they shared a poor deal they found at the in-app store. This bundle of Poke Balls may seem like a good deal for newer players, which is precisely why the shop has yet to change this. Poke Balls are the most common items in the game. Charging the equivalent of $1 USD for such a small amount of Poke Balls compared to how fast they can be acquired is far from "player-friendly."

Comment byu/Neat-Restaurant-8218 from discussion inpokemongo

Experienced players have noticed this deal, calling it out for being rather terrible, considering how often Poke Balls can be found. Pokestops, quests, and gifts from other players can quickly accumulate well over 20 Poke Balls with minimal effort. This has solidified this deal among many as a trap for new players.

Comment byu/Neat-Restaurant-8218 from discussion inpokemongo

Seeing these sorts of deals from Pokemon GO's store has left many players avoiding microtransactions altogether. Many have written off these poor bargains by saying that this is very "in-character" for Niantic, stating that the company as a whole produces these games for the sole purpose of collecting and selling location data to advertisers.

Comment byu/Neat-Restaurant-8218 from discussion inpokemongo

This justification lines up well with some of Niantic's changes to items and the store in recent times. The prospect of Remote Raiding, the gameplay mechanic that lets players participate in Raid Battles from anywhere as long as they have an invitation, was introduced during the COVID-19 Pandemic. However, it has been significantly nerfed several times to incentivize players to attend more in-person raids, thus providing the company with more location data to collect.

Comment byu/Neat-Restaurant-8218 from discussion inpokemongo

Niantic also tried incentivizing players into participating in more in-person raids by doubling the price of Raid Passes purchased from the store. This was done so more players would be tempted to seek out these gym locations, typically businesses, for the free Raid Pass they provide daily. Even then, these free passes can only be used for in-person raids now, with Remote Raiding being restricted to the paid passes, and the free passes can no longer be stacked.

The lesson new players must learn is that Pokemon GO's store may not be there to help them get a head start in their progress. Though it requires considerably more work, actively looking for the items that can be found at the store is typically a much more rewarding and efficient way to play the game.