Pokémon Go took off last year as one of the first games to use augmented reality successfully, making it the biggest mobile game in US history and its revamp might just make it as popular again.
Many rumors are confirmed as Niantic details big improvements for Pokémon Go, but what is going to change? They are focusing on revamping how both the gyms and gym battles work. Gyms were previously limited to battling, but in the new update they can be spun like PokéStops, allowing you to acquire items here, receiving PokéBalls and potions.
The Gym battles themselves are also being updated and gyms will no longer be based on Prestige and training, but will include six permanent slots to be filled by the controlling team’s Pokémon. Each slot must be filled by a unique Pokémon and challenging teams can only battle the Pokémon in the order they were added to the gym.
The game will now include a new ‘motivation’ system. As the Pokémon in the gyms battle they will lose motivation overtime so will be easier to defeat. Trainers can improve their motivation, shown by a heart, by feeding them berries.
You can also increase your rewards at gyms by levelling up the new badges the gyms are giving out, and the longer your Pokémon remains at the gym the more coins you will accumulate. You will receive these once your Pokémon returns to you.
These are all the immediate changes they have outlined, but they do hint at Raid Battles to come in the future. These will encourage you to work with other Trainers to defeat the powerful Raid Boss who temporarily takes over the gym. The battles are timed and you need to acquire a raid pass from a spinning gym to participate. You can only hold one pass at a time.
If you manage to defeat the Raid Boss within five minutes you are given the chance to catch a powerful Pokémon as well as the chance to collect rewards. All gyms will be disabled while these changes are put into place and players will be invited to participate in the raids.
Once again, much awaited Legendary Pokémon do not get a mention.
