And it's not a response players will be pleased with.
Pokemon Go developer Niantic has responded to an open letter from fans criticising the rollback of COVID-19 changes in the USA and New Zealand.
The criticism is largely focused at a planned reduction in interaction distance with both PokeStops and Gyms.
Niantic’s response comes after an open letter shared over Twitter with the hashtag #HearUsNiantic.
“The health and wellbeing of players is our top priority, which is why we have implemented the new Exploration Bonuses in select geographies where it is deemed safe to be outdoors,” Niantic wrote. “Research has shown that taking walks outside is safe and confers several health benefits. Furthermore, encouraging outdoor exploration is in keeping with Niantic’s mission. That said, we will continue to monitor health and safety guidance related to outdoor activities, and will make future changes if necessary.
“We have heard your feedback about one change in particular – that of the PokéStop and Gym interaction distance. We reverted the interaction distance from 80 meters back to the original 40 meters starting in the U.S. and New Zealand because we want people to connect to real places in the real world, and to visit places that are worth exploring.”
Rather than rollback the plans to rollback changes (got that?!), Niantic will form “an internal cross-functional team” to look at fan feedback and propose solutions. The internal team’s work will be completed by 1 September.
Pokemon Go is currently available on iOS and Android devices.
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