Pokémon GO was a cultural phenomenon when it launched last summer. The hype died down fast, but it might be set to tick upward again ...
Pokémon GO was a cultural phenomenon when it launched last summer. The hype died down fast, but it might be set to tick upward again with the full launch of gen 2 Pokémon. Niantic has announced more than 80 Pokémon from the Johto Region like Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile will be available in the game this very week. And that's not all.
Here's the full changelog for the upcoming update from Niantic.
- Additional Pokémon: More than 80 Pokémon that were originally discovered in the Johto region in the Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver video games, as well as Pokémon with gender-specific variations, will start rolling out in Pokémon GO.
- New Evolutions: There are now more opportunities to evolve your Pokémon in Pokémon GO than ever before. Some Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region will soon be able to evolve—into Pokémon that inhabit the Johto region! Be on the lookout for new Evolution items at PokéStops, which you’ll need to evolve some Pokémon.
- New Encounter Gameplay: When you encounter Pokémon in the wild, don’t be surprised if they react in new ways as you’re trying to catch them. You’ll also notice the addition of new item carousels that allow you to select Berries and Poké Balls directly from the encounter screen. Hone your skills and catch those elusive Pokémon!
- New Berries: Pokémon enjoy eating Berries, and you’ll have the opportunity to get two new Berries by spinning the Photo Disc at PokéStops—Nanab Berries and Pinap Berries! Giving a Pokémon a Nanab Berry will slow its movements, making it easier to catch. The Pinap Berry doubles the amount of Candy you’ll receive if your next catch attempt succeeds.
- New Avatars and an Expanded Wardrobe: Now you’ll be able to give your avatar a complete upgrade! Customize your look with a whole new selection of hats, shirts, pants, and other items.
The availability of new Pokémon will probably get some people into the game again. The collecting aspect was the most compelling part of the experience, so it got rather dull once you'd found all the common pocket monsters in your area. You will also be able to use special items to evolve some of your old Pokémon into new Johto Region Pokémon. New berries will be available in the game as well to add a bit more strategy to the capture experience. Items will be easier to select when catching Pokémon, too.
Lastly, there's avatar customization. It's not clear if this is going to be an in-app purchase situation or if you'll be able to earn new duds free in the game. Either way, it's probably not something that will excite people like the new Pokémon. Look for the update later this week. In the meantime, I guess it's time to start swinging by Poké Stops to stock up on items.
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