Pokemon GO’s eggs are surprisingly low on the list of possible controversies related to Pokemon. Nonetheless, it appears that Niantic would test a shift to Pokemon GO’s eggs in response to a broader, unrelated controversy: loot boxes in video games and their relation to gaming, particularly in children’s games. Many Pokemon GO players may not have found the connection between eggs and Pokemon, but Niantic is acting on it regardless.
Niantic recently revealed that a transition to the way eggs work in Pokemon GO would be carried out to a small group of gamers. The Pokemon that can hatch from an egg will be revealed directly from the player’s inventory for these players.
When players click on an egg, they’ll see a list of all the Pokemon that can hatch from it, as well as their rarity levels, which indicate how likely players are to catch them. However, the update would not reveal whether the Pokemon is Shiny or not, according to Niantic.
The move is a direct nod to the video game community’s current debate over loot box control. Since 2017, China has had laws requiring the publishing of “draw chance” for digital objects. A study by the European Union on loot boxes proposed legislation, including alternatives such as publishing odds. Similarly, video game developers Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony have announced that they are considering self-regulation in 2019, which may entail reporting chances.
Outside of China, Niantic has not yet been pressured to introduce these changes. It’s playing with the move to see how it impacts egg use in Pokemon GO, with the understanding that it will need to make similar improvements in Europe or America in the future. If the data reveals that people are opening eggs less often, it could be possible to adapt the way eggs function to a completely new method.
Trainers, we're excited to share that we're starting testing where a limited number of Trainers will be able to see which Pokémon may hatch from Eggs in their Inventory!
— Niantic Support (@NianticHelp) March 11, 2021
Even though it is only available to a small percentage of Pokemon Go fans, the decision to add this new feature seems to be well received by the community. Players are ecstatic to see what Pokemon are in each shell, as even seasoned players may get confused.
However, this does not suggest that the method is faultless. Players have also demanded that Niantic include the precise chances of capturing Pokemon and a long-requested feature: the ability to delete eggs. Since the new update is still in beta, Pokemon GO players can let Niantic know whether they want to see this function evolve in the future.
