‘Pokemon Go’: Buddy Pokemon Feature Officially Coming to Game, Niantic Says

Pokemon Go is now available on iOS and Android devices. (Nintendo)

Pokemon Go is now available on iOS and Android devices. (Nintendo)

Niantic Labs has officially confirmed that the rumored buddy Pokemon feature is coming to Pokemon Go.

A few days ago, it was reported that the creators of Pokemon Go were working on some sort of system that allowed trainers to pick a “buddy” Pokemon that would walk alongside them during gameplay, earning them bonuses like some extra candy. This was discovered when gamers searched through the game’s source code and found references to the update, although nothing was official at that point.

Now, Niantic has confirmed this feature is indeed on its way. In a statement posted on its website today, Niantic announced that players will soon be able to select their favorite Pokemon as a “buddy,” although they did not get into specifics about how this will work. The company said we should stay tuned for details.

The newest patch is expected to be released early next week, so it’s highly possible the buddy feature will launch then or shortly after. Niantic does specific in its statement that the buddy feature is the next thing they will be adding to the game.

Here is the full statement about buddy Pokemon released by Niantic:

Hi everyone,

It’s been a busy summer and, in addition to battling bots and fixing bugs, we’ve also been busy working on some new features for our Pokémon GO Trainers. As you know, we recently released the new Pokémon Appraisal feature, which helps Trainers identify which Pokémon has the most potential for battle. Today we wanted to let you know about a new feature for the game that is just around the corner.

The next addition to Pokémon GO will be Buddy Pokémon. You will be able to pick your favorite Pokémon from your collection to become your buddy, opening up unique in-game rewards and experiences. Buddy Pokémon will appear alongside your Trainer avatar on your profile screen, adding helpful bonuses such as awarding Candy for walking together. You’ll also have the ability to change your Buddy Pokémon at any time.

We’ve got a lot more in the works this fall. Stay tuned here for all the details.

Thanks,
The Pokémon GO Development Team

For more, check out our breakdown of some of the photos Niantic has released of the new buddy system: