Pokémon GO’s new Sponsored Gift feature will introduce a new avenue for Trainers to receive free items, as well as a method for various brands to promote messages to players.
As developer Niantic explains, during visits to Gyms and PokeStops, you may encounter a new type of hot air balloon in the area featuring a logo and name of the sponsor. When tapped on, you will receive a sponsored message relevant to your location, along with some free gifts. YouTube user DrKendo shared a clip of a Sponsored Gift in action.
There is an unspecified limit to the number of Sponsored Gifts Trainers can receive each day, and child accounts will not receive them. Players can opt-out of the feature completely by deselecting the “Show Sponsored Gifts” option in the Settings menu. Inappropriate content found in sponsored messages can also be reported by tapping the three dots in the upper right-hand corner and selecting “Report this ad.” Eurogamer notes in their coverage that the balloon will hang around “for about 10 minutes if not clicked on, before taking off.”
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Written by Reece Heather
A veteran Zelda Universe editor and First-class journalism graduate, Reece emerged with a Nintendo 64 and a lifelong obsession after a narrow escape from Santa’s Naughty List in 1998. Outside of games, he’s reading Punisher comics, being bossed around by his cocker spaniel, and cornering innocent bystanders to rant about the importance of game preservation.
