"Almost everything else is paid content": Pokemon GO player complains about new season, says "struggling to find a reason" to play

The Pokemon GO community has many complaints following the release of the title's latest season. A Reddit post by EquivalentReality988 encapsulated the sentiment of not being able to enjoy the game as a free player and being surrounded by paid content. The user lamented the state of the game just three days into the season. They wrote:

"3rd day of the new season and I'm already struggling to find a reason to even open the game, when the spawns are so sh*t and almost everything else is paid content."

This post sparked a lively discussion among fans, highlighting several frustrations with the game’s current state.

Many players echoed the sentiment that spawn rates and Pokemon diversity in the wild have been disappointing this season. User M1ntyMango voiced concerns over the scarcity of Ice-type creatures, despite multiple quests requiring them.

This highlights a common issue with seasonal events — quests and spawns often feel misaligned, leading to player frustration.

Others, like scribotiss, noted an overabundance of bird Pokemon such as Starly, Spearow, and Taillow. Deathblo added that shiny hunters might have better luck, citing an impressive haul of shiny weather-boosted birds, including a wild Typhlosion sighting.

However, even such occurrences felt like rare moments of excitement in an otherwise repetitive spawn pool.

Post by EquivalentReality988 stirred up an interesting discussion among Pokemon GO players (Image via Reddit)

The monetization of Pokemon GO continues to spark backlash. Players like R3zolute criticized the game’s apparent shift toward "pay-to-win" mechanics, with features like Dynamax raids seemingly locking significant content behind a paywall.

Players highlight the focus of discussion being the game being pay to win (Image via Reddit)

This was further emphasized by IAmTaka_VG, a veteran player since 2016, who admitted they’ve barely opened the app since Dynamax mechanics were introduced. They argued that previous seasons offered more viable free-to-play options, but now, the need to spend money to fully enjoy the game has eroded the fun.

Another recurring complaint came from Retsameniw13, who called out the bland rewards and the increasing trend of requiring players to pay to complete research tasks.

They remarked how the rewards often fail to justify the investment, making the experience feel like an endless cash grab.

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Are players losing interest in Pokemon GO?

The question of interest among players surfaced in the discussion (Image via The Pokemon Company)

The overarching theme of the discussion points to a growing sense of apathy within the Pokemon GO community. Many players, especially long-time fans, seem disheartened by the game's reliance on monetization and uninspired seasonal content.

The joy of exploration, collecting, and battling - a hallmark of Pokemon GO - feels overshadowed by repetitive gameplay loops and excessive monetization.

The title’s latest season has left many players disillusioned, with lackluster spawns and a heavy emphasis on paid content being the primary culprits. While the game has thrived on its ability to bring players together and celebrate the Pokemon universe, the current direction appears to be alienating even its most loyal fans.

Unless Niantic takes steps to address these concerns, the frustration voiced by players like EquivalentReality988 may become increasingly widespread, potentially threatening the game’s long-term success.

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