Some Pokemon GO fans propose a neat new type of Incense that would significantly streamline gameplay in unfavorable conditions.
Highlights
Some Pokemon GO players are calling for a new winter type of Incense that would help them play the game in cold weather.
Others have proposed tweaking the way existing Incense works in extreme weather so that they can befit from its boosted spawn rates without having to stay outside in freezing cold.
Some Pokemon GO players have recently taken to social media to call for a new type of Incense that would facilitate playing the game during winter months, in weather that's all but suitable for walking. Their idea adds to the list of gameplay changes that Pokemon GO players have proposed since the turn of the year.
Like all successful live service games out there, Pokemon GO is churning out new content year-round. But because walking is its central gameplay mechanic, participating in its many events often hinges on having good weather. That's why some players in the Northern Hemisphere have recently struggled to participate in Pokemon GO events such as Winter Wonderland 2023, citing terrible weather conditions not suitable for staying outdoors for long.
Pondering that state of affairs, Reddit user Ponyboy06 recently came up with an idea for a winter Incense that would facilitate catching pocket monsters during the coldest period of the year without having to move too much. While they acknowledged that some players never get cold weather, they insisted that hunting Galarian birds in Pokemon GO can feel like a punishment for those that do. Their proposal later emerged on the front page of r/TheSilphRoad, one of the game's largest subreddits, suggesting that hundreds of players are on board with the idea.
A New Incense Type Isn't The Only Way Pokemon GO Could Facilitate Winter Play
Reflecting on the core idea, a few fans came up with a bit more pragmatic approach, suggesting that Niantic could simply rework the way normal Incense works in Pokemon GO instead of coming up with an entirely new item. Elaborating on that train of thought, Reddit user BuckTheStallion proposed a tweak that would make Incense work while the player is stationary whenever the game registers extreme weather. For clarity, Incense currently requires players to keep moving in order to benefit from its boosted Pokemon spawn rates.
Although such an approach could certainly make the game more accessible during cold weather, implementing it may not be as straightforward as simply adjusting Incense behavior. Namely, years of player testing suggest that in-game weather conditions are derived from AccuWeather, specifically its hourly forecast. While the app is widely considered as one of the most reliable meteorological services out there, its Pokemon GO implementation is still somewhat inconsistent when it comes to classifying weather conditions. For example, a freezing cold may not always register as extreme weather.
Given that state of affairs, weather-based Incense behavior would likely require Niantic to undertake a more comprehensive overhaul of some of the game's core systems. As such, this suggestion from the Pokemon GO fandom may not be as straightforward to implement as it might first appear. Moreover, some fans have even insisted that they'd demand summer Incense if Niantic were to ever cater to players who get freezing cold winters in such a way.
After a test run via an April Fools' joke on Google Maps, Pokemon GO was released to the public in the summer of 2016. The AR mobile app saw unparalleled success and continues to be one of the largest mobile games in the world, pulling in billions for developer Niantic.