It’s a fact: Pokémon Go is much easier to play in a city or large town. There are more gyms and PokéStop locations to interact with, more Pokémon that spawn, more fellow players to battle alongside.
For years, rural players have complained the game is harder for them in comparison. Now, finally, it’s the turn of those who live in busier areas to complain.
The latest set of challenges to obtain an ultra-rare Shiny Meloetta in Pokémon Go include the requirement to hold a bronze Showcase Star medal, something that means a player needs to have placed first in a PokéStop Showcase.
This is an easy task in remote areas – where essentially you can enter a Pokémon into a Showcase tournament, and be the only person to do so, automatically winning. But in built-up areas, Showcases can attract hundreds of entrants, making your chances of winning much harder.
For some players who’ve already bought the Shiny Meloetta ticket (sold for £4.99 earlier this month), it’s proved an unexpected sticking point in their progress. For others, who live in the countryside, it’s provided an easy step forward.
“Bronze medal only requires one win,” wrote a fan on Pokémon Go reddit TheSilphRoad, “yet some people struggle cause cities like Singapore are so dense and popular with PoGo that Showcases fill up very fast and you can’t even enter it.”
“Well so much for that,” wrote another fan. “I have tried for over a year and never won a single showcase.”
“Just let us rural players have this one win and don’t be a sook,” said a third. “Literally every other aspect of the game is better in the city.”
The solution? Over the 21 days it’ll take to complete the other steps in this next set of challenges, fans say those wishing to push forward should consider a day trip to somewhere a bit quieter to get that Showcase victory sorted.
Yesterday, Niantic confirmed it was selling Pokémon Go to Monopoly Go giant Scopely in a deal worth $3.5bn. The move has sparked concern from fans over the game’s future, something the game’s development team has attempted to assuage.