City vs Rural: Major differences in Pokemon GO gameplay

Pokemon GO gameplay can provide a vastly different experience depending on a player's location. In population-dense cities, many aspects of the game are considered easier, and even basic tasks like capturing Pokemon benefit from the sizable player count. Meanwhile, rural gameplay is often considered more difficult to fully enjoy, although rural gameplay does have its upsides as well.

In many ways, playing Pokemon GO in a rural environment and transitioning to city gameplay (and vice versa) can feel like night and day. Although trainers can accomplish most of their necessary objectives and tasks in either environment, Niantic's emphasis on population-dense areas is no secret. Still, it doesn't hurt to examine the experience between rural and city players.

Gameplay differences in Pokemon GO's city vs rural dynamic

City gameplay

Major Pokemon GO events are often catered specifically for massive cities (Image via Niantic)

When it comes to core gameplay, there's little denying that cities have a major advantage in Pokemon GO over rural environments. A higher population density means more Pokemon spawns in the wild, more landmarks converted into Pokestops and gyms, and more players to cooperate with for group activities like raids, routes, and Party Play, to name a few.

Easier access to an abundance of Pokemon, Pokestops, and gyms also makes completing research tasks a simpler process. On top of it all, nearly every major Pokemon GO event like GO Fest takes place in major cities across the world like New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and London, to name a few. However, not everything about city gameplay is glamorous.

Increased player concentration means the battle to capture and hold gyms can be more difficult as the game's three teams battle for supremacy. This makes accruing Pokecoins difficult without microtransactions, and Pokestop-centric gameplay like Pokestop Showcases also have their difficulty increased as players flood Pokestops with their best contestants.

Still, even with its drawbacks, the amount of convenience and accessibility that cities afford Pokemon GO players is usually considered well worth the tradeoff. On top of it all, being able to catch Pokemon, raid, finish research, etc. at high volumes provides a massive amount of experience points compared to toughing things out in rural areas.

Rural gameplay

There's really no two ways about it, playing Pokemon GO in a rural setting can be a grinding and frustrating experience. The lower population density and wide swathes of land without notable landmarks lead to a diminished number of wild Pokemon spawns as well as Pokestops and gyms. This in turn makes completing research tasks a much more difficult experience, as some players know well.

For players in remote areas, simply visiting a Pokestop or finding a gym to raid can require a substantial amount of time and travel distance to commit to. Some fans have lamented the fact that they can't access a gym without traveling to a more populated area. This is further stymied by a lower player count that makes things like routes/Party Play/raids extremely tough to coordinate.

Throw in the limitations to remote raiding, and some players simply don't want to commit the time and effort required to make even negligible gains when it comes to collecting XP/items. This ultimately results in some players leaving the game behind, which can cripple a Pokemon GO community in a rural area and make cooperative gameplay elements borderline unplayable.

In some extreme situations, rural gameplay can completely kill off a player base in a locale, making even basic game features feel like a chore. While the lack of players might provide the benefit of making Pokestop Showcases easier to win or making gyms easier to capture, the rewards that rural players earn are a fragment of what can be accomplished in city gameplay.

Upsides are few and far between for rural Pokemon GO trainers (Image via Niantic)

Moreover, a lack of players presents challenges that simply aren't seen in cities. For example, players in extremely remote areas can place their Pokemon in a gym to defend it and be unable to retrieve them. Without players willing to defeat a gym defender, the Pokemon is stuck in limbo with no means of recall. Some rural areas with extreme weather also prohibit enjoyment of the game for extended periods.

All in all, rural gameplay can ask for a ton of dedication from Pokemon GO players for reduced gains compared to the city experience. Some trainers stick to it for the love of the game, but they'll likely be the first to tell you they don't feel valued by Niantic. While it's true that Niantic centers on cities for the sake of collecting location data, rural players shouldn't be left out in the cold.