Niantic confirms that Pokémon GO will receive a PvP feature later this year. We will show you various ways how the battles could look like.
Work on PvP, concerns from fans: The feature for trainer versus trainer battles is still in development and is expected to be released in 2018. Players express their concerns and state: With the current battle system, it wouldn’t be so great.
The PvP in Pokémon GO: Positives and Negatives
Fans have been waiting for this for a long time: The PvP feature has been a major topic in the Pokémon GO community for a long time. Niantic CEO John Hanke frequently stated in 2017 that PvP (player versus player) was one of the planned features for Pokémon GO. It has now been confirmed by Anne Beuttenmüller from the Niantic team that the feature is set to be released later this year.
Something new again: Trainers positively notice that with PvP battles there will be more variety in the game. So far, trainers can only battle arena defenders or raid bosses, which are computer-controlled. There have been no direct battles against other trainers.
Finding friends: This would also positively affect social interactions. If trainers are going on a joint raid adventure anyway, battles could bridge the waiting time and allow them to meet new players while battling against them.
A lot of work needed: Trainers negatively notice that the current battle system invites little to PvP battles. During battles, one often taps wildly on the smartphone display without any real tactic. In raid battles, if you dodge the opponent’s attacks, the game often does not realize it. Therefore, thorough improvements and bug fixes are necessary.
Here we present you 4 possibilities that could form the basis for a PvP system. These ideas come from social networks and are summarized opinions of many Pokémon GO trainers.
New battle system – turn-based?
Battle system needs to change: As feedback, one often reads on YouTube, Reddit, Facebook, and other social platforms that Niantic should implement a completely new battle system for PvP battles.
The fear: The battles should not depend on who can tap the display faster and more uncoordinated. Additionally, a faster smartphone or faster internet connection would clearly determine who the winner is.
The wish: A new battle system should be fair to all smartphones. Players even wish for a turn-based battle system, similar to what has been present since the beginning on the Game Boy. You choose one of several attacks or use an item, then it’s the opponent’s turn. This goes back and forth until a battle is decided.
This way, battles would be less dependent on the speed of smartphones or internet connection.
Fights would take place using the known system of 6 Pokémon. However, the opponent should not see which Pokémon will be used beforehand, so they cannot counter each one.
With status effects: They wish for status effects like “poisoned” or “burned”. These DOTs (Damage over Time) would be added with corresponding attacks.
The problem: The turn-based battle system faces criticism as trainers are uncertain whether this slow fighting style would fit Pokémon GO.
Leaderboard: Equal-strength players against each other
It should be fair: Regardless of whether Niantic implements a turn-based system or something completely different for battling against other trainers, the wish is that it should be fair.
The fear: Trainers who have been level 40 for a long time and have an extremely strong team would constantly defeat inexperienced players. Additionally, players with 2 accounts and 2 smartphones could repeatedly battle against themselves. If the system is linked to rewards, these players could exploit it easily.
The wish: A ranking system (ELO), like those found in other mobile games such as Clash of Clans or online games like League of Legends or Counter-Strike. The number of wins and losses determines where a trainer stands in the ranking. Weaker players would land in the Bronze League, while stronger players would play in the Diamond League or even the Challenger League.
Your opponents will then be randomly chosen from the same league by the system. This way, Bronze players should primarily play only against trainers who are also at this part of the ranking. Trainers from the Diamond League should then compete against other strong players from this high league.
The problem: The random opponent selection is not what many players desire. They would like to choose which trainer they face themselves. To keep battles fair, they wish for a different feature, such as a maximum point value for the competition points that a PvP team can have in total.
Maximum CP per team?
Equal-strength teams for everyone: With an upper limit for the maximum CP of a PvP team, they want to ensure that not 6 overpowering Pokémon compete against 6 average ones.
The fear: Players might simply combine their strongest 6 Pokémon into one team without any tactical advantages. This would negatively affect the fun factor.
The wish: A Pokémon PvP team is to consist of 6 monsters. However, the entire team should only reach a maximum CP value that is distributed among the different monsters. This could be divided into various categories. For example:
- Maximum 2000 CP
- Maximum 4000 CP
- Maximum 6000 CP
- Maximum 12,000 CP
If then two trainers agree on a fight, they can decide in advance which category they want to play in. Here, an automated system could intervene and pair trainers with the same battle category wishes for a match.
The problem: A maximum CP value for PvP teams would partially contradict the goals of Pokémon GO. Trainers would be less motivated to strengthen their monsters. Because as their CP increases, they would no longer fit into the categories.
Fighting only with friends?
More features for the friends list: Trainers suspect that Niantic will also use the new friends list for PvP. Trainers could then only battle against friends.
The fear: Friendships may not hold any value in PvP battles.
The wish: In PvP battles, one should only be allowed to face friends. Or: One should be able to compete against other players and friends. With friends, it should not matter how far away they are.
It is possible that Niantic will implement a similar function for PvP battles, as seen in trading: You would need to stand within a certain distance to the player for it to work. With strong friendships, this distance requirement for PvP battles could significantly increase or even be eliminated altogether.
The problem: Only part of the community wishes for such a feature. Other trainers do not want to associate the friends list with the PvP system.
Much potential in PvP battles
The above-mentioned fan wishes clearly show that there are many good approaches for PvP battles in Pokémon GO. However, considerable improvements are still needed everywhere.
Niantic may also be planning something entirely different that has nothing to do with the above-mentioned possibilities. The community is now eagerly awaiting the first details from Niantic regarding the PvP battles.
Which system would most closely match your wishes and what would you improve about it?
Currently, there is a trading event in Pokémon GO that reduces the Stardust costs.
