In Pokémon GO, the GO Rocket special research is taking a break in the form you know it. But that doesn’t mean the end of the villains. Niantic hints at something new.
What’s going on? In Pokémon GO, special research appears regularly related to popular events in the game. This also includes Team GO Rocket. But for now, that has come to an end. At least for the type of research you know.
The team from Niantic explains on their homepage that there will be no new Team GO Rocket special research “between May and September”.
But that doesn’t mean you’re completely rid of the villains. It seems that the developers are already working on a new method to incorporate quests involving these villains into the game.
What will happen in the summer with Team Rocket?
What Niantic says: The announcement of no Team GO Rocket special research between May and September may confuse many players. After all, summer is the ideal time to play Pokémon GO.
However, considering the current COVID situation, it makes sense that Niantic doesn’t want to incentivize players to leave their homes through quests. For this reason, you can now also participate in raids remotely.
Furthermore, the announcement states that Professor Willow and his team are very surprised about the calm situation with Team GO Rocket.
“Of course, we hope that Team GO Rocket will be history – but knowing these villains, that will hardly be the case. We will keep you updated, as we doubt that Team GO Rocket will remain so calm all summer long…”, it states in the Niantic blog.
Currently, there is a new form of research in Pokémon GO – All tasks of the Nostalgia Challenge Kanto.
What could they mean? It seems that they do not want to remove Team GO Rocket from Pokémon GO.
The developers may now be working to make the Rocket experience playable from home. So you might not have to run to stops anymore. A new way to interact with the villains is being hinted at, at least according to the blog post. The team doubts that Team GO Rocket will stay quiet all summer long.
What do the players say about this? In the comments on reddit , players acknowledge the problem and understand it.
- “I’m a bit depressed that there won’t be any Rocket research until at least October. Although I completely understand it”
- “Maybe they will let the grunts spawn like Pokémon”
On Twitter , a player asks: “You know, how buddy Pokémon can now get gifts from stops. Is it possible to interact with “Team Rocket” stops via buddies at some point?”
Another Twitter user suggests being able to conduct Rocket battles like remote raids. As long as you see a Rocket stop “nearby”, you should be able to click on it and fight there.
What ideas do you have to bring Team GO Rocket to Pokémon GO in new ways? Prepare for the May 2020 spotlight hours in Pokémon GO. The dates are already set.
