Pokémon GO developer Niantic has launched a website where players can purchase in-game currency. On paper, this is just another way to get money from mobile gamers but in reality, this seems to be a way for Niantic to avoid paying additional fees.
It seems that Niantic is trying to be sneaky about this as no official announcement was made on their social media. Compare this to how Epic Games announced their website for in-game purchases and the difference is clear. We’re definitely interested in seeing how Apple and Google react to this.
To be fair, upon checking the Pokémon GO app, players can still buy in-game currency through it. Niantic seemingly wants to have its cake and eat it too, by giving players multiple options to buy currency. Since they aren’t outright removing the option on mobile devices, they might be safe from Apple and Google’s wrath.
Fans will remember how Epic Games launched a whole campaign after Apple took down the app, which was seemingly planned in advance. That seems to have backfired as Fortnite is still not playable through the App Store, though there are ways to play it on Apple devices. Niantic seemingly wants to avoid that fate, though we’ll see how long that lasts.
We’re interested in seeing how the Pokémon GO fanbase reacts to this, as they have been fairly critical of Niantic recently. Mobile gamers hate how the game went from feeling like a fair free-to-play title to focusing on numerous paid events. The fact that they recently increased the price of Remote Raid passes doesn’t help things.
Despite all of that, there are still a ton of people who play the app. Most see it as a decent reason to go outside and get some minor exercise in. Others see it as a genuinely fun Pokémon experience.
Read More: Pokémon Stadium on Nintendo Switch launches soon, but it’s far from complete
Pokémon GO is readily available on iOS and Android devices.