It may seem like a lot longer but it’s only been seven months since Pokémania sweeped the nation, bringing with it a crazy amount of notoriously bizarre stories. Hold tight, the second wave is well on its way, thanks to a Generation 2 update pencilled in for release sometime this week. So if you’ve already removed the app from your phone you might want to think about reinstalling it.
This latest Pokémon Go update for both iOS and Android will introduce 80 new pocket monsters from Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal for budding Pokemasters to seek and catch, as well as new berries to use and evolution items to collect. Here’s what the new berries are said to help you with:
Bluk Berry: Pokémon in encounter does not move or jump
Razz Berry: Increases chance of capture by 1.5 times
Wepar Berry: Target capture circle is increased
Nanab Berry: Pokémon in encounter does not attack
Pinap Berry: Target capture circle shrinks slower
Not all of these new Pokémon will be released by the end of this week, however, so don’t worry if you’re struggling to add some of the new additions to your Pokédex. The Niantic statement regarding Gen 2 stated “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” although we do know that at least 14 of these will be left out (or will they?) and certain Pokémon, such as Eevee and Seadra, will be able to evolve into the second-gen.
Developers have also explained that in Gen 2 you’ll need to collect special evolution items from Pokéstops to evolve first-gen creatures into their second-gen counterparts and that candies from existing Pokémon can be used to power them up once they’ve evolved. Looks like it’s time to re-download and start stockpiling, then! Self-appointed Pokémon Go experts over at Bulbapedia and on the Reddit thread The Silph Road have compiled a list of Pokémon that have “cross-generational evolutions” but it’s at this point where it probably gets a bit too complicated for those of us that just want to catch some cute cartoon characters while we’re waiting for our bus to arrive.
“Pokémon Go is a live experience which we’ll be continuing to support and evolve in new and interesting ways for years to come with new gameplay features, in-game and live events, more Pokémon to discover and much more.” – John Hanke, CEO of Niantic Inc.
Hopefully, this new generation update won’t spark the same amount of crazy headlines that the first release did. Let’s not forget the two players who fell off a cliff in San Diego, the teens in the UK who were stuck 100 feet underground or the two Canadian players who crossed the U.S border illegally while immersed in the virtual world.
You can watch the trailer for the new update below.