Niantic makes official announcement on August Pokémon GO Incense compensation
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These are two important items on the go for trainers.
The Issue: When Incense Went Cold
The issue was brought to Niantic's attention on the 6th of August, when they tweeted from the official @NianticHelp account an acknowledgement of an "issue affecting Pokémon encounters after using an Incense." Players reported getting very few Pokémon or none at all, while Incense was active. The initial advice from Niantic was to restart the app. In some cases, the problem continued until Pokémon GO version 373.1 arrived on 8th August and fixed it.
The update fixed the issue; though, the wave of missed catches and disturbed play sessions left users fuming.
The Apology Package
On August 12, Niantic announced an in-game compensation to thank players for their patience. From 12 p.m. on August 13, 2025, in each local time zone, to 11:45 p.m. on August 20, 2025, local time, all trainers will receive:
Double Daily Adventure Incense duration (60 minutes instead of 30)
Three free standard Incense items
The bonuses will be automatically active in the game, so players can quickly jump into their celebrating routine.
Incense is a huge item in Pokémon GO, mainly for players in rural areas or playing without roaming extensively. For hardworking trainers, losing out on an event window of a major Ultra Unlock Raid Day means losing time to garner precious Pokémon and rewarding experiences. No compensation can retrace away lost encounters; Niantic has given players another chance to chase down elusive spawns in the days to come.
A Summer of Ups and Downs
Pokémon GO has been in the pressurized space of big summer events, from the arrival of Hisuian Zorua and Zoroark to the evolution lines of Snom and Honedge.
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Since the Pokémon GO Fest: Max Finale will threaten our calendars later this month, Incense glitch stands out as a rare blemish on an otherwise packed schedule.
Such rapid acknowledgment and compensation have recently become the norm in the genre of live services, maintaining the goodwill of players when confronted by criticism through transparent communication and timely reward. For now, trainers, dust those Poké Balls off, burn some Incense, and get back to what you do best, catching them all.
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