Niantic Launches Ingress Subscription: Pokémon Go Maker
Ingress, the pioneering game crafted by the developers of Pokémon Go, Niantic, has ultimately disclosed its optional paid subscription. This long-awaited revelation has sparked discussions within the Pokémon Go community regarding the potential launch of a comparable subscription offering and the possible features it might encompass.
Referred to as CORE (signifying Community, Offers, Recognition, Expansion), the Ingress subscription comes at a cost of $4.99 per month. It includes an expansion of the inventory, a monthly allowance of in-game credits and items, an exclusive medal, and a profile flair. Additionally, it grants the ability to remotely view one’s inventory and portal keys through the game’s intel map.
Niantic first indicated its efforts in developing subscriber features for the free-to-play Ingress more than a year ago. The launch has been planned in consultation with members of the game’s community.
Throughout the past year, code related to a Pokémon Go subscription offer has frequently emerged through fan groups like PokeMiners, who diligently scan the game’s files. Nevertheless, Niantic has yet to publicly confirm its work on such a feature.
Still, some players propose that Pokémon Go’s subscription offer could resemble that of Ingress, given the numerous shared features and gameplay types between the two games.
In both Pokémon Go and Ingress, an expansion of the inventory is a highly sought-after addition. Currently, in Pokémon Go, you can enhance your storage to accommodate 4000 Pokémon and 3000 items using PokéCoins, which can be either purchased or earned through gym control. (For every four days of gym coins, you can unlock an additional 50 inventory spaces up to the maximum.) A significant boost in this aspect for subscribers would likely gain popularity and directly appeal to the more dedicated players who might consider a subscription offer.
When it comes to a monthly stipend of items, there are numerous options that are likely to be appealing. For instance, Remote Raid Passes are extremely popular. However, Niantic is currently providing a small quantity of these for free each week while much of the world is under lockdown. Focusing solely on these might draw criticism for a subscription targeted at those merely attempting to play safely.
Another premium item likely to attract users would be an Elite TM. Currently, it is only sold once per month on community days to unlock a legacy move on a specific creature, or it is obtainable each season as a reward from the game’s PVP rankings.
Profile badges and username flairs could also be carried over. Perhaps they could have a style that is visible in Pokémon Go’s friend list, advertising your subscriber status to others.
As for Ingress’ map feature, it is less probable that it will be introduced in Pokémon Go, as the gameplay of Pokémon Go is primarily centered on the app itself rather than other platforms. Perhaps there will be subscriber-exclusive avatar clothing, poses, or other premium cosmetic additions to fill the void? Another possibility could be the inclusion of the game’s optional monthly Community Day research, which otherwise costs 79p.
More than four years after its launch, Pokémon Go remains incredibly successful. Reportedly, last year witnessed its most profitable 12 months yet. The next major event for the game is its Pokémon Go Kanto Tour, a ticketed event where all 150 original creatures will be available in their Shiny versions for the first time.
