Update 6/28: To the disappointment of many fans, Niantic has reversed the spawn distance changes in Pokemon GO.
Original story follows.
A recent major change to spawn distance in Pokemon GO is here to stay. The change will have a significant impact on how players are able to interact with Pokemon GO in the future.
Pokemon GO fans have been asking for many chagnes lately. A lot of controversy surrounds a perceived stagnation in content and quality of life updates of the popular mobile game. Simultaneously, some are asking for a reversion to changes that many believe are actively making Pokemon GO worse. It seems as though Niantic is beginning to listen to fans and take steps in the right direction, as a new popular change was recently confirmed as permanent.
The major change that recently hit Pokemon GO affects the spawn distance, in other words, the range in which the player is able to see Pokemon around them. The most recent update, 0.275.0, gives a massive overhaul to the spawn radius for trainers around the world by doubling it from the current 40 meters (Roughly 130 feet) to 80 meters (Roughly 260 feet). There were concerns among the player base initially that this change was a glitch or test by Niantic that may be removed in the future, but popular Pokemon GO content creator PokeDaxi has announced on Twitter that a Niantic representative has confirmed the spawn radius update to be permanent.
This was an unexpected change with no announcement from Niantic beforehand to let players know that this was coming, which is surprising considering how much this changes the very fundamentals of the game. For Pokemon GO players in rural areas, this can mean not having to stand exactly right around the few PokeStops and Gyms in the area to make catches. For players in urban areas, this can mean massive amounts of Pokemon spawning right around wherever the player happens to be. It's worth noting that the website Pokemon GO Hub is reporting that this change does not affect GOPlus/auto-catchers, who apparently still have a radius of 40 meters.
The latest update is a very welcome change within the Pokemon GO community after begging for quality-of-life updates for some time now. Many of the recent updates to the game have been largely minor, not making the types of changes many fans have been hoping for, with no word from Niantic on whether or not any of those things are coming. Getting a surprise update from the company that is so positively received like this may bode well for the future of the game.
Pokmon GO is out now for iOS and Android mobile devices.
Source: Pokemon GO Hub