An update hit Routes in Pokémon Go on Sept. 22 that was supposed to improve picking up Zygarde Cells when completing the activity. Players aren’t entirely convinced that Routes were fixed by the update, however.
On Reddit, players shared their claims in several threads. The main point players discussed were the changes made to Zygarde Cells: a thread shared that the precious item’s spawn range was increased, and a user explained they now have a fixed position instead of appearing at a specific distance from the player. It seems to be the most popular change of the update.
The other adjustments received a more of mixed welcome, however. Zygarde Cell’s pickup mechanic has always been controversial, ever since Routes were introduced on Pokémon Go, and it doesn’t seem to stop with this update.
In another thread, a player said they received a Zygarde Cell for completing a Route without tapping on it and shared a screenshot of it. Players weren’t entirely sold, however, as many of them said they didn’t get the auto pick-up.
On the other side, several players said they received their very first Zygarde Cell from loop Routes. “Definitely fixed. A loop route that I’ve done 30+ times without a cell gave me my first cell today,” wrote a comment.
It’s not easy to determine whether the spawn rate and pick-up mechanic were adjusted for Zygarde Cells, as players have to test them out themselves to understand how it’s working. However, completing Routes takes time, and the number of spawns is limited.
What’s more certain is the notification change for nearby Routes, however. Pokémon Go players noticed that a notification was added when nearby Routes were spotted, but it hasn’t received a warm welcome. They complained about unnecessary information cluttering their screen.
Overall, Route changes have received a mixed response from the community. The feature has been heavily criticized since its introduction this summer, with questionable Route additions and Zygarde Cell-related issues. Still, the update has only just been implemented, so we’ll need a bit more time to know exactly what it entails.
