Niantic changed Pokémon Go so that you can still catch 'em all while still practicing social distancing.

Are you stuck at home but still feel like you “gotta catch 'em all”? Well you’re in luck, because Niantic just released updates that make it easier for you to play Pokémon Go from home.

When Pokémon Go first came out, it was engineered as a virtual game that encouraged gamers to get outside, socialize, and bond with people over their common love of Pokémon. However, that concept doesn’t work so well when people are practicing social distancing.

Therefore, Niantic is providing temporary updates that allow Pokémon fans to continue to play without ever leaving their home. These new changes include increasing habitats so that wild Pokémon appear more frequently and in more locations, while also increasing the frequency of obtaining gifts from pokéstops.

In the game, players must walk a certain number of steps in order to hatch eggs that contain Pokémon, and now, another update to the game allows these eggs to hatch twice as quickly when placed in an incubator. Therefore, players are walking half the distance in order to catch a coveted pocket monster.

The game is also running a 99 percent discount on an in-game item called incense. This item attracts Pokémon to your current location for one hour, allowing players to catch wild Pokémon without having to travel. During the coronavirus pandemic, Niantic reduced the price of incense to just 1 pokécoin.  

All of these changes have already been added to the game and will be in place until further notice. In addition to these updates, Niantic has postponed its planned Abra Community Day and some other real-world events connected to the game. Other events such as the first season of Battle League will allow players to compete with one another without having to be in the same location, and the upcoming Special Research Adventure will include tasks that can be done in self-isolation.

“While we’ve made these updates based on the current global health situation, we also encourage players to make decisions on where to go and what to do that are in the best interest of their health and the health of their communities," Niantic has said.

So, do you plan on playing Pokémon Go while you're practicing your social distancing? Let us know how your adventure goes and whether you're able to catch 'em all!