Pokemon GO recently revealed its September GO Pass, and with it comes the arrival of a brand-new Incubator. Over the years, Pokemon GO has introduced new ways to incentivize players to stay invested in the game, and this fresh Incubator type is bound to be appealing to a lot of fans. However, there is one major drawback to the new item.
The Time Incubator is a special type of Incubator that has an unlimited number of uses. As the name implies, Timed Incubators can only be used for a short amount of time. Players will have until October 14 to use the item, but that isn't the main issue. The Timed Incubator is behind a paywall.
Pokemon GO's September GO Pass and GO Pass Deluxe will be available starting September 2. Players will have until October 7 to earn these rewards.
Pokemon GO is Playing With Fire When it Comes to the Timed Incubator
How to Get the Timed Incubator
Once the GO Pass launches in a few days, players will have to purchase the GO Pass Deluxe, a paid version of GO Pass, to unlock the Timed Incubator. September brings a good amount of fresh content to Pokemon GO, but hiding the Timed Incubator behind a paywall is a strange decision that hopefully isn't going to be the new normal going forward. Players who want the Timed Incubator can do so through two options.
- For $7.99 USD, the GO Pass Deluxe includes faster progression and better rewards.
- For $9.99 USD, players can purchase the GO Pass Deluxe + 10 Ranks in order to reach Rank 11.
Considering that the Timed Incubator will no longer be usable after October 14, charging money for a limited-use item is bound to frustrate players, and for good reason. Of course, monetization is often necessary when it comes to keeping games like Pokemon GO alive, but asking money for an Incubator that won't be a permanent item is definitely a bold choice.
The Timed Incubator is available at Rank 20.
Monetization in gaming has been a controversial topic ever since it started becoming the standard for a lot of companies, but most of the time, when a player purchases an in-game item, they can at least expect to have it forever afterwards. Over the years, Pokemon GO has continued to bring fans of the franchise together in great ways, but instances like this Timed Incubator can sour the fun.
If an Egg is in the Timed Incubator and hasn't hatched by October 14, it will be switched to a single-use Incubator in order to finish the process.
Pokemon GO's Timed Incubator Offers Limited Benefits
The Timed Incubator would be a great reward if players were able to either win it for free or at least keep it after paying money, but as of now, there isn't much benefit to purchasing it. Of course, this opinion is subjective, but charging for a special item that will only be usable for a little over a month is unlikely to sit well with a lot of Pokemon GO players.
Only time will tell if Pokemon GO continues to monetize limited-time items in this way, but that hopefully isn't the case. Playing Pokemon GO can bring plenty of fun, but continuing to lock content or items behind paywalls can bring on fatigue, as well. Being asked to pay in order to progress faster is incredibly frustrating, and while some gamers don't have any issues with these practices, others are growing tired of constant monetization. Once the September GO Pass launches, it will be interesting to see how players respond to the Timed Incubator.
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Augmented Reality, RPG
