Pokemon Go players slam Niantic for “comical” store blunder

Pokemon Go players responded with bemusement after Niantic introduced a lucrative bundle to the game’s store, only to remove it soon after.

A Boost Box listed for 399 PokeCoins was briefly available in the app on September 3 with a purchase limit of three. However, as of September 4, it’s no longer available, either disappearing from the storefront entirely or returning the message “This item can no longer be purchased.”

The Boost Box contents were as follows:

• Premium Battle Pass x5
• Pokemon Storage x1
• Super Incubator x5
• Item Bag x1

For comparison, Item Bag and Storage expansions cost 200 PokeCoins ($1.98) as standard.

A bundle containing both in addition to several extras for less than 400 coins represented a massive discount. While unclear why the deal was delisted, players have reacted negatively, accusing the developer of incompetence and greed.

“It’s pretty comical at this point” came one reply on a Reddit thread discussing the removal, adding “It’s like someone at Niantic HQ noticed the positive feedback and immediately went ‘Oh f**k they are having fun, remove the box immediately!'”

Others speculated that certain Niantic employees were “silent rebels,” before stating, “There is no way that this was intentional, especially since the Best Box already appeared last year, and it was purchasable one time only.”

Considering the sizable discount offered by the Boost Box, many believed the listing to be a simple case of carelessness. “I’m wondering if an incompetent staff member (NB: legend) priced it too low and once they realized they removed it”, another said.

Niantic hasn’t provided a reason for the bundle’s removal, or if it has any plans to reintroduce it. Considering some players fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time were able to grab the deal before it vanished, though, the early bird bonus inevitably left those who missed it “screwed” over.

This isn’t the only instance of Pokemon Go attracting criticism over its monetization since Max Out went live. PokeCoin Bounty, a limited-time event running from September 3 to October 2, was branded as not worth the “hassle”. You can see our breakdown of everything included to decide if it’s worth the price.