The player-versus-player battles and a trading function have long been on the agenda of Pokémon GO. It has now become known that many more updates are expected.
When the first version of Pokémon GO was released in the summer of 2016, many new trainers quickly realized: Some features are still missing.
Niantic followed up and reassured players: More features are in the works and will be gradually integrated into Pokémon GO. These include raids, which have been available as a co-op feature in Pokémon GO since this summer. But that was just the beginning. According to statements from the Pokémon Company CEO, there is much more to come.
Pokémon GO is just at the beginning of its development
In an interview with Bloomberg, Pokémon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara announced that the current features and functions in Pokémon GO are just a fraction of what is planned for the future.
“We have only achieved 10 percent of what Pokémon and Niantic are trying to implement in the game. In the future, we still need to implement fundamental Pokémon experiences such as a trading function, player-versus-player battles, and other possibilities.”
Improvements of the last months
Since the release of Pokémon GO, quite a lot has happened in the game:
- In raid battles, you can team up as trainers against powerful raid bosses.
- After a long wait, legendary Pokémon are finally in the game. It started with Lugia, Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres. You can now also find legendary beasts.
- The Pokémon from the 2nd generation are in the game, providing variety. There have also been hints about the 3rd generation in the code.
Designing Pokémon GO is difficult
In the interview, the Pokémon CEO also spoke about the difficulties in designing. Which Pokémon types should be found where? “One view is to have cool Pokémon appear in cold climate zones. But this would also mean that players in the tropics have no chance of catching these monsters.”
“So we are always thinking about finding the right balance between game design, how Pokémon should exist, and how satisfied players are with their collections.”
“Anyone going to the coast now can catch water Pokémon there. If, for example, electric Pokémon like Pikachu appear near power plants, there are problems. Is that safe? And is that allowed everywhere?” The developers take the issue of spawn behavior of different Pokémon types seriously.
Advanced AR experience
However, Pokémon CEO Ishihara sounds particularly interested in augmented reality.
“With the current AR feature, you can say ‘There is a Pikachu’, but no one believes that. Reality is just a step further away. For example, you could then find a Pikachu, and it recognizes the table and jumps on it. Then you see its shadow on the table. The monster could then turn to the player and talk to them. We will witness the birth of this reality, which takes Pokémon GO a step further.”
So a big future lies ahead for Pokémon GO. What feature would you like to see next? Trading, PvP, or something completely different?
Soon, the Safari event will start in Germany. You can catch the rare Pokémon in Oberhausen even without tickets.
