At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pokémon GO developer Niantic was met with a conundrum: how do you keep people playing a game that’s all about going outside and congregating in specific places when doing so will literally kill people? Among other player-friendly changes, the company boosted the distance it took to activate stops and gyms from 40 meters to 80 meters, making it a lot easier to hit from across the street (or the parking lot).

After briefly reversing the change (because apparently the pandemic is over?), Niantic was met with harsh criticism from players. In addition to generally making things easier for people practicing social distancing, the doubled distance was a boon to players with mobility issues, allowing them to get their spins and battles in with less effort. In response to the outcry Niantic created a “task force” to examine which changes should stay and which should go.

The group’s first determination: yeah, it looks like that boosted distance was making the game better for everyone. As of now, the distance to hit a Pokestop or gym has once again been bumped up to 80 meters. A quick jaunt to the local park proves that it’s working for my Pokémon trainer: after a few days of the shorter distance, I’m now hitting the stop in the skate park from the sidewalk two days away.

Hey Niantic, I don’t suppose we could hold out any hope for that halved distance on egg hatching?

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