Reaching one billion XP in Pokémon GO is a huge milestone. Trainer Lauch3D was the first in Germany to achieve this at the end of 2020. We at MeinMMO spoke with him.
This has now been achieved: Lauch3D is the first trainer in Germany to break the magical threshold of one billion XP – at least unofficially. There is no official board from Niantic, only unofficial ones where top trainers can report. According to these boards, Lauch3D is the first German trainer with this milestone.
For comparison: The former maximum level 40 requires 20 million XP. So he has essentially reached this level 50 times. Only a few trainers worldwide have collected this much XP before him.
We chatted with Lauch3D via Twitter and asked him about his motivation, goals, and tips.
Effective play without much pressure
Who is Lauch3D? The trainer primarily plays in Karlsruhe and has long been known as one of the best trainers in Germany. He has caught over 900,000 Pokémon and reached the threshold of one billion XP on December 26.
How did Lauch3D achieve this goal? It is worth taking a look at the trainer’s medals. He has completed over 12,500 legendary raids. That alone, with a lucky egg but without other bonuses, is 250 million XP.
In addition, he has 650 best friends. Assuming he used a lucky egg during the ascension to Hyper and best friend, that’s another 195 million XP.
Especially in the last weeks, you can also collect a lot of XP by catching Pokémon. Landing great throws has brought significantly more XP since December 2020, and if you focus on such throws, collecting XP becomes even easier.
What motivates the trainer? Lauch3D tells us that he started playing intensively relatively late. It really picked up for him when legendary raids were released in the summer of 2017.
Furthermore, Lauch3D tells us: “At that time, my goal was not to be the ‘best’, but to simply use my time as effectively as possible and to get the maximum out of effectiveness and efficiency. The goal of being the first in Germany with one billion XP did motivate and drive me strongly when I realized it was achievable.”
Otherwise, the trainer reveals to us that he generally wants to get the most out of games. But the motivation to be better than others also drives Lauch3D.
These are his next goals: In the future, Lauch3D wants to continue playing at his own pace and without pressure. However, he also wants to continue to use his time effectively.
On Twitter, he states that he aims to be the second trainer in Germany to reach one million catches in Pokémon GO. Additionally, he wants to spin one million PokéStops and improve in PvP.
How much money has Lauch3D invested so far? The trainer does not provide us with exact information. However, he writes: “Definitely too much money; how much exactly I would prefer not to look at in my iTunes account. But so far, I do not regret it. I have experienced so many wonderful things through the game, and even real friendships have developed as a result.”
How much time does Lauch3D invest in Pokémon GO? Here, the trainer’s answer surprises us, showing that he indeed always uses his time effectively. He writes: “More than 3 hours during the week after work I usually do not have. On weekends I usually have one day with family/friends and one day where I grind all day.”
These tips does the trainer offer: If you want to collect XP yourself, Lauch3D gives you the following tips: “Catching, evolving, raiding, and leveling friends. Try to combine all this, depending on how much time you can and want to spend in the game. The most important thing is definitely to keep trying to improve your ball-throwing skills to hit as many Pokémon as possible perfectly.”
Is Lauch3D the best player in Germany? Such a question is always tricky to answer, as it is difficult to determine what makes the best player. For example, in Germany, there is also TZPokemon98. He reached one billion XP shortly after Lauch3D and has already caught over a million Pokémon. There are also other trainers who have similar values.
Lauch3D says about this: “I would not consider myself the best player, but I do see myself in the top 3.”
Whether he is the best player or not, the milestone Lauch3D has achieved is definitely remarkable, and most players are likely still far from it. You can read another story of an extreme player here:
Pokémon GO: Trainer achieves insane goal – Every Pokémon from Gen 1 at 100% IV
