Despite being part of one of the most well-established video game franchises of all time,Pokemon GOhas been ripe with controversy over the past few months. The latest controversy surrounds yet another new event in the game, with many players believing that the system forPokemon GO’s latest event was a ripoff, or at the very least, misleading.
Pokemon GO’s events are typically a great way for players to earn additional Stardust, XP, or evenlimited-edition versions of their favorite Pokemon. Players expected the new Into the Wild event to be no exception, but some of the event’s monetized items left fans frustrated for several reasons.
What Pokemon GO’s Into the Wild Event Offered
The Into the Wild event seems to be part of an ongoing series of events underPokemon GO’s “Wild Area” events. Prior to Into the Wild,a regional event in Fukuoka, Japantook place from November 16 to November 17. Though the event featured similar features to the Into the Wild event, it seems to have essentially acted as a premiere for Into the Wild as a whole.
Into the Wild began on November 18 and ran until November 22 as a global event. The event marked Toxel’s international debut forPokémon GO, though the monster was part of thePokemon GOWild Area: Fukuoka event. Shiny versions of the monster and its evolution, Toxtricity, are also now in-game. Toxel was available to players in the event through 10 km eggs, new Collection Challenges, Field Research tasks, wild encounters, and other gameplay interactions.
Not everyPokemon GOevent features monetized items, but Into the Wild did. As part of the event, players had the chance to purchase two different event-exclusive tickets that would give them additional rewards. One of the tickets promised “two additional Raid Passes per day,” 5,000 bonus XP from raids, and an extra Candy per four-star orfive-star Primal Raid. At a price of $4.99 per ticket, many players took the opportunity and gave Niantic their hard-earned cash.
Some Pokemon GO Players Felt Deceived by Niantic
However, players quickly noticed that they were not receivingtwo additional Raid Passesafter spinning photo discs at gyms. This specific gameplay was mentioned in the Into the Wild ticket’s description, so players expected the Raid Passes to appear upon completion.
Considering the short lengthof the Into the Wild Global eventas well as the event’s conclusion, it seems that Niantic will not be issuing any compensation to players who purchased the Raid-specific ticket. The initial post from the X user and Niantic’s response occurred on November 18. Into the Wild concluded on November 22, without any additional response from Niantic about the controversy. With the event officially over, it is unlikely that players will receive the additional Raid Passes.
Though Into the Wild has concluded, players stillhave the chance to catch Toxeland add it to theirPokemon GOcollection.
WHERE TO PLAY
Now you can battle other Pokémon GO trainers online! Try the GO Battle League today. Join Trainers across the globe who are discovering Pokémon as they explore the world around them. Pokémon GO is the global gaming sensation that has been downloaded over 1 billion times and named “Best Mobile Game” by the Game Developers Choice Awards and “Best App of the Year” by TechCrunch
UNCOVER THE WORLD OF POKÉMON: Explore and discover Pokémon wherever you are! CATCH more Pokémon to complete your Pokédex! JOURNEY alongside your Buddy Pokémon to help make your Pokémon stronger and earn rewards! COMPETE in epic Gym battles and… TEAM UP and UNITE with other Trainers to catch powerful Pokémon during Raid Battles!It’s time to get moving—your real-life adventures await! Let’s GO
