Pokémon Go encourages players to go out into the world and meet each other, but that’s not the best idea when the world is trying to slow the spread of coronavirus covid-19. Developer Niantic has implemented temporary changes in the game to make catching Pokémon without going anywhere easier.
Along with postponing the Abra Community Day event originally scheduled for March 15, Niantic has made changes to the game to increase players’ ability to catch Pokémon in one place. First off, players can purchase an inexpensive bundle of Incense, an item that attracts pocket monsters to their location. The duration of Incense has been doubled from 30 minutes to a full hour. The distance players have to walk to hatch eggs from incubators has been halved. PokéStops refresh faster, encouraging players to stick around rather than travel from stop to stop.
Along with an increase in Pokémon habitats and increased appearance rates, these changes should make staying in one place less painful for Pokémon Go players.