Pokémon GO may be adding new ways to earn free PokéCoins

Pokémon GO fans, rejoice! According to an interview with Game Director Michael Steranka, Niantic may add new methods for players to earn PokéCoins for free in Pokémon GO in the future, making the virtual currency more accessible for those who don't wish to spend real money for it in the hit mobile game.

Will Pokémon GO players have more ways to get PokéCoins soon?

The annual Pokémon GO Tour was held in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the weekend of February 25 to 26, 2023, bringing trainers from across the globe together in person to catch elusive Hoenn Pokémon like Shiny Jirachi and Shiny Primal Groudon and Kyogre, as well as exclusive bonuses such as boosted Shiny encounter rates and halved Egg hatch distance.

Pokémon GO fans worldwide flew out to attend the event, with Japanese RocketNews24 journalist P.K. Sanjun using the opportunity to ask Steranka about the popular catch-'em-all mobile title. And one topic, in particular, came up: PokéCoins.

In an interview translated to English by Google Translate, Sanjun asked the Game Director whether it would be possible for fans to earn free PokéCoins outside of Gyms in the future.

Related: How to get Golden Lures in Pokémon GO

"That's exactly what my team is working on right now, I can't say anything specific at this stage, but of course I'm conscious of how to earn PokéCoins," Steranka stated. "There are many elements to Pokémon GO, so I want trainers to have fun in different ways. We're exploring different possibilities."

Currently, there are two ways for Pokémon GO players to earn PokéCoins. They can either purchase them in the in-game Shop for real money, or they can earn a small amount for free from taking over a Gym from a rival team. The unpaid method is rather slow, though, with a rate of one PokéCoin every 10 minutes your Pokémon occupies that Gym.

While it's not 100% confirmed that Niantic will be implementing new methods to earn free PokéCoins any time soon, it is a spark of hope for those who are forced to either grind for them slowly or open up their wallets. For now, Pokémon GO fans will have to wait and see what's in store in the coming months and keep their fingers crossed.

For more Pokémon GO content, check out Pokémon GO Friend Codes and How to get the Coin Bag in Pokémon GO here on Pro Game Guides.