Pokemon GO has been out for almost five years now, going through many changes in that time. While there are plenty of changes and updates that are beloved by players, many feel that the game is becoming more reliant on aspects that require players to sink real money into it.
Like many mobile games, Pokemon GO is free to play. There are, however, plenty of purchases that can be made with real money for Pokecoins, which can be exchanged for helpful items. Players can also gain access to exclusive events by buying virtual tickets that can only be accessed by spending real money.
One of the most recent player outcries about how Pokemon GO has been relying on in-app purchases was based around the Spring into Spring event. This event introduced the event exclusive Flower Crown Happiny that could only be obtained through hatching eggs. The hatch rates for this Pokemon were so low, however, that many players had to directly purchase more Pokecoins in order to get incubators. Even then, Flower Crown Happiny was never guaranteed.
Pokémon GO has become incredibly Pay to Win and Anti-Consumer over these past few years. from pokemongo
The above Reddit post by GabeBit08 illustrates the meaning behind recent player frustration with the Niantic title. In it, GabeBit08 writes about how the footprint system was removed, making the search for Pokemon much less interesting. Other observations include the rise in many rare Pokemon locked behind raids, eggs, and difficult field research tasks.
Looking at what Pokemon are dominating the GO Battle League's PVP scene, many are connected to limited raids. Even though anyone can participate in these raids as long as they have a raid pass, winning will not guarantee the capture of the Pokemon. This means that its entirely possible for players to keep beating raids and never catch the powerful legendaries often locked behind them. Even though players can keep directly buying raid passes to participate in even more, luck will still be a factor.
Despite how many are feeling about the current state of Pokemon GO, it is unlikely these things will be dialed back as long as the game continues to make money. Paid additives for Community Day events have become the norm, with the bigger events themselves being locked behind tickets that can cost over $10.00 USD. While it is possible for there to be players with powerful teams and large varieties of Pokemon without paying, putting the money in will make the task much easier.
Pokemon GO is available for Android and iOS devices.