Pokemon Go May Be Looking at a Subscription Service for Players

Pokemon Go seems to be gearing up for a subscription service of some kind. Earlier this week, Pokemon Go released a new update this week, and dataminers have already teased some intriguing information from the game’s code. One of the bigger surprises is that Pokemon Go appears to be working in a subscription service of some kind. Details about the alleged subscription service are scarce, but the subscription will be purchased from Pokemon Go‘s in-app and can be set to auto-renew.

If Pokemon Go is getting ready to set up a subscription service of some kind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to some fans. Over the last year, Pokemon Go has majorly ramped up the number of “paid events” that offer players exclusive research and in-game perks. In addition to last summer’s worldwide Pokemon Go Fest, Pokemon Go is hosting a Pokemon Go Tour: Kanto ticketed event in February. Players who purchased a ticket to Pokemon Go Tour: Kanto will also get access to the January and February ticketed Special Research for those month’s Community Day. Recently, Pokemon Go also tested out a new kind of ticketed event that required players to buy a ticket in order to obtain a Galarian Mr. Mime back in December. This was the first event that required players to pay money to gain access to a specific Pokemon.

While some fans might be upset at the thought of a subscription service, other “free to play” games have used subscription services to great effect. Fortnite, arguably the biggest game in the world, uses a Season Pass to offer players a variety of premium items and extra perks. Many other games also use subscription services to bolster their revenue and reward players for their loyalty. Keep in mind that most games’ subscription services are optional, and we don’t expect Pokemon Go to move away from its current “free to play” model.

In the mean time, Pokemon Go players can currently participate in a Sinnoh Celebration event this week and a Hoenn Celebration event next week, both of which feature increased spawns of certain Pokemon. Pokemon Go is also hosting a Community Day featuring Machop this weekend.