‘Pokemon Go’ is available now for iOS and Android devices. (Nintendo)
Niantic has just announced a brand new Pokemon Go update that will completely alter the way gym training works.
The company revealed on its website on Thursday that in the game’s forthcoming update, players will be able to bring up to six Pokemon into battles. This is a massive change to the Pokemon Go experience, as before now, it was only possible to bring a single Pokemon into a gym. Having up to six will dramatically change trainers’ strategies, potentially making it easier for the average player to take over a gym and making the game a bit more user-friendly to the casual Pokemon trainer. It will also force hardcore players who have been relying on the same strategies for weeks to change things up.
So when will the update be released? Niantic hasn’t said for sure, but based on their recent schedule, it’s expected that we will receive some sort of an update tomorrow, October 7th, and so there’s a solid chance that this is when the gym update will be hitting the app stores. In the past, Niantic has often announced features shortly before they begin rolling out, and they generally put out an update every two weeks.
However, Niantic did actually just announce another new feature that’s coming to the game. On Wednesday, the company revealed that they’re adding a new feature that will give players bonuses for unlocking medals. These medals are handed out when trainers capture a certain number of the same type Pokemon, and these new bonuses will increase the likelihood of capturing that type in the future. For example, if you get the medal for catching a lot of fire Pokemon, it will now become easier for you to catch fire Pokemon. Picking up low-leveled creatures will therefore become a much better use of your time than it was before.
Since these two announcements came back to back, it’s possible these features will both be included in the next update. But don’t be too surprised if the medal bonuses update comes tomorrow, on the 7th, and the gym update comes after, on the 21st.
Here is the full announcement of the gym update via Niantic’s official website:
Trainers,
As we continue to make improvements to Pokémon GO, we have made an enhancement to the Gym experience for Trainers of all levels. In an upcoming version of Pokémon GO, when training at a friendly Gym, Trainers will be able to bring six Pokémon to battle instead of one. In addition, the CP of the Pokémon you are training against may be temporarily adjusted lower during your training session to generally match your Pokémon’s battle capabilities.
No matter what your level, you can now have an impact on your team’s Gym. Walk with your Buddy Pokémon to that nearby landmark and show your Team Leader that you can battle with the best!