Pokemon Go players divided over “gym etiquette” from fellow trainers
NianticThe Pokemon Go community has been fiercely debating what proper gym etiquette is and if following it is even important in the first place.
Gyms in Pokemon Go have some unique mechanics that many players aren’t familiar with. While it’s no secret that gyms are a reliable source of PokeCoins, exactly how those coins are earned isn’t always clear.
Each day, a trainer can earn up to 50 PokeCoins. That’s the equivalent of eight hours and 20 minutes spread across every Pokemon held in a gym. However, Coins are only given once a Pokemon is kicked out of a gym, not if they remain in there for a prolonged period.
This mechanic has seen the Pokemon Go community cultivate a culture of only beating gyms after eight hours to maximize gains. However, this isn’t followed by everyone causing much debate.
Debate over gym etiquette leaves Pokemon Go community split
Explaining how they approach gyms, one trainer shared on Reddit, “When it comes to taking gyms from opposing teams in my local areas, I always check all of them first, making sure all Pokémon have been there for at least 8 hours,” and claimed they even checked for “trainers of the same team across all the nearby gyms.”
After explaining why, this player then expressed frustration with others not doing the same, “It’s hard to follow this ‘etiquette’ in a dense urban area as gyms there get attacked constantly and I’m lucky to ever have a Pokémon last longer than an hour,” they stated before asking if others put in as much effort.
Replies to the post were mixed with some wholeheartedly agreeing with gym etiquette, “I do. I always check how long the Pokémon have been in the gym for. If most have been less than 8 hours, I will double check the other gyms to see if any of them are in there.”
Others settled for a middle ground that they felt was more reasonable, “I’ll leave gyms if everyone in it hasn’t been there long. But if one Pokemon is over the 8 hour mark, I’ll take it. Let the player that took over the gym initially get their 50 coins.”
On the other end of the spectrum, many trainers just don’t value gym etiquette at all, “Nope. I want the gym, I’m taking it. Life is short. Carpe diem Conversely, if I’m lazy and don’t feel like knocking you out, sorry you’re stuck in the gym for 2+ weeks lol.”
Debates about whether gym etiquette in Pokemon Go matters are bound to continue with some players believing it’s the best outcome for everyone and others valuing the competition above all else.
