In Pokémon GO you can now submit PokéStops, but the principle behind it is much more complex than it seems. We will clarify this for you.
This is the new feature: Players at Level 40 can now submit PokéStops in Pokémon GO. For this, you can simply take pictures of landmarks and submit them. With a bit of luck, a PokéStop will be created from it.
The principle behind it is quite complex. You cannot submit a PokéStop at every location. Additionally, submitting can also create new gyms. We explain how the principle works.
Submitting PokéStops in Pokémon GO – What it entails
What system does the submission work with? The principle behind it is the same one that Ingress players have been using for years. Ingress is the predecessor game of Pokémon GO.
This principle accesses the S2 cells. These cells divide the entire world into different sized boxes in Ingress technology. Depending on the size of the S2 cell, so is the size of the box.
These are the important cells: For submitting PokéStops, the S2 cells at levels 14 and 17 are crucial.
A level-17 cell can have only one PokéStop in Pokémon GO. Such a cell is about the size of 2 single-family homes.
A level-14 cell determines the appearance of gyms. We will explain how exactly this cell has an influence later in the article.
What you need to consider when submitting stops: On various websites, you can view the S2 cells for your city. There you can see how your area is divided into level-17 cells.
When you want to submit a PokéStop, check carefully if there is already a PokéStop in this level-17 cell. If there is already one, submitting another one is not worth it, as it cannot be confirmed.
What other requirements are there? The list is long when it comes to what you can submit as a PokéStop and what you cannot. A detailed view can be found here:
Transforming PokéStops into Gyms – Here’s how
How is a gym created? For gyms, the level-14 cells are crucial. In these boxes, it is decided how many gyms will be created.
If there are two PokéStops in a level-14 cell, one of these PokéStops will become a gym. If there are then 5 PokéStops and one gym in this cell, the next gym will be created. If there are a total of 20 PokéStops and gyms in a level-14 cell, a third gym will then be created in this cell.
How to best get gyms: If you want to have gyms as quickly as possible, you should operate previously empty level-14 cells with two submissions each. This way, one submission will become a gym.
Alternatively, you should look for cells where there are 4-5 or 17-19 PokéStops or gyms. There, you will then only have to submit a few stops, and the next gym will appear.
Why you should never place Tyranitar in gyms, you can find out here:
