Speculation is on the rise around Pokémon Go once again. A new datamine has been launched onto Reddit and has seen some very interesting changes in the future. The PokMiners group delved into the APK files and code for the game, finding some very interesting details around the future of the mobile game. The team found that there may be a Pokémon Go subscription service on the way.
The details are interesting, but still very vague. The post details, “We saw hints at a subscription service a long time ago, but now as part of the Store section, a Subscription Category has been added in this version. Would be interesting how and what looks like.”
So if there are plans to add some kind of paid plan to the in-game store, Niantic has not revealed them yet. They could just be testing the feature and not actually planning to add it to the game yet. Niantic has not made any comments regard a Pokémon Go subscription service, so it’s very unclear what such an option could even be. Maybe it will act as a paid pass to future in-game events that adds more value to those that buy into it.
There could also be plans to expand the game with a subscription service alongside the long-awaited release of Mega Evolutions. Those are something that players have wanted for years, maybe it could be added as some kind of expansion pass type of system. Niantic could want to incentivize users to pay for a premium pass if they get early access to new content.
Again, all of this is speculation, as no confirmation has revealed if Pokémon Go will receive a paid subscription, so take all of this with a grain of salt.
There may be some reasons why the game won’t get such a change though. The big differences between free and paid players could be pretty stark if there’s a major change in access to certain content. If Mega Evolution get locked behind a paywall, it would mean a major power gap would likely form between the two groups. That would be great for Niantic’s bottom line, but players would absolutely hate it. Maybe if paid players get benefits like increased item spawns or Gift rewards from Stops, that could be a meaningful compromise that wouldn’t heavily upset game balance.
As it’s very early in the process it’s very hard to say what the developer has planned or what the impact will be on the game. If we hear more, we will keep you updated.
