Niantic called out for Pokemon GO shop ‘scam’
Niantic is once again facing criticism from Pokemon GO players, as the developer is called out amidst complaints of a 'scam' in the game's store.
19th Dec 2023 16:37
Images via Niantic
Niantic called out for Pokemon GO shop ‘scam’
Niantic is once again facing criticism from Pokemon GO players, as the developer is called out amidst complaints of a 'scam' in the game's store.
19th Dec 2023 16:37
Images via Niantic
It seems that Pokemon GO players are angrier than Jigglypuff when you fall asleep during one of its recitals. This time, they're calling Niantic out over accusations of a 'scam' in the game's store. Despite getting us through the pandemic, Pokemon GO has struggled to satisfy everyone as it entered its seventh year in 2023.
As part of Pokemon GO's continuous updates, Niantic has clamped down on the number of coins you can earn per day, meaning players are now capped at 50 Pokecoins. There's always the option of using your own real-world money, and with Pokemon Go surviving on microtransactions, it's clear plenty of you are.
Niantic accused of Pokemon GO Remote Raid Box 'scam'
Am I going crazy?
byu/TheoneandonlyBryce inpokemongo
November's Pokemon GO update saw Niantic roll out the bandwagon of large item bundles. This faced its own backlash due to its astronomical costs and the fact the pricing structure seemed to be all over the place depending on what region you're in.
An irate Pokemon Go player has now called the developer to task, claiming that two Remote Raid Boxes contain the exact same contents, but one is being offered for 15% less than the other. As highlighted by Dexerto, u/Theoneandonlybryce asked, "Am I going crazy?", and shared their Remote Raid Box findings.
Both include 3 Remote Raid Passes, 1 Star Piece, and a Lucky Egg, but considering one cost 595 PokeCoins and the other 495 coins, something isn't adding up. Making things worse, the more expensive box came marked with a 15% discount. The OP wrote, "Nice scam Niantic."
Players have had it with Niantic's Pokemon GO pricing
As you can imagine, an already irate Pokemon GO fan base quickly took to the comments and called Niantic to task. The top comment reads, "Honestly that looks illegal to me. There is only one purpose to have two boxes with same name and contents but different prices."
Another added, "Even if they had different names. It’s sketchy as hell and still might be illegal in some countries to advertise the second one as a discounted price." A third lamented, "Meanwhile people like me who live nowhere near a poke stop or gym and are lucky to make 50 coins in a month."
Interestingly, the thread highlighted just how different the prices are depending on what region you're in. We're used to Steam games being priced differently in different regions, but this is a whole different ball game. Niantic is likely safe legally with these practices, but that's no solace to players.
Niantic has yet to comment on accusations that its shop pricing is a 'scam,' but it feels like another day, another scandal for the Pokemon GO developer.
About The Author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
