Today Niantic dropped a new trailer for the next set of updates coming to the game featuring a plethora of new features including new Pokémon and significant changes to the way players level up!
Kalos Pokémon Available Soon!
The first exciting announcement comes from the first batch of Kalos Pokémon hitting the game on December 2nd. These Pokémon, introduced in X and Y in 2013, include Chespin, Quilladin, Chesnaught, Fennekin, Braixen, Delphox, Froakie, Frogadier, Greninja, Bunnelby, Diggersby, Fletchling, Fletchinder, Talonflame, Litleo, Pyroar and Klefki, however Klefki will be a regional Pokémon to France, likely due to this being where the region is set. In Celebration of this an event is due to run along side it boosting the spawn rates of these Pokémon to give players a better chance at finding them in the wild!
Seasons are changing in Pokémon GO!
Introduced in Pokémon Black and White, seasons are coming to Pokémon GO but will last 3 months, as opposed to the 1-month cycle of the mainline games. and will match the real world seasons for the hemisphere you live in. GO Battle league will match these seasons and now last three months as well as more Pokémon and raids appearing that match the season that is currently happening, notable examples being Darumaka in summer and Sneasel in winter. The first season will start in December and will be the Season of Celebration with an event to follow.
GOing beyond the Level Cap!
The most notable part of this update however, is that Niantic are increasing the level cap from beyond 40 to 50. They have also introduced Candy XL which is obtained by trading in candy and can be used to power up Pokémon beyond level 40! This time though you won’t require just experience to level up as each level has a list of tasks tailored to a certain criteria (as seen below). Hitting Level 40 before the end of December will earn you the legacy 40 medal as well as some timed research to get a Gyarados hat!
Level 42: From evolving Eevee into each of its available Evolutions, to using certain Evolution items on specific Pokémon, reaching level 42 will test your knowledge of Pokémon Evolutions.
Level 43: Show us your mastery of Gym battles and Raid Battles! You’ll also need to have earned a certain number of Platinum medals before you can advance to level 43. You might find yourself with a surprise avatar item at the end, too!
Level 44: Battling other Trainers has been a fundamental aspect of the Pokémon RPGs since the beginning, but it’s still relatively new to Pokémon GO. Have you been developing your skills in battle? You’ll have to if you want to reach level 44!
Level 45: You’ve battled in Gyms, raids, and the GO Battle League, but to reach level 45 you’ll need to focus your efforts on taking down those pesky Team GO Rocket villains! You might find yourself with a surprise avatar item at the end, too!
Level 46: Get ready to explore, intrepid Trainers! To reach level 46, you’ll need to complete a number of Field Research tasks, hatch a certain number of Eggs, and document your daily adventures using GO Snapshot!
Level 47: You may think you’ve mastered the art of battling in raids, but the requirements to reach level 47 will really test your mettle! For example, one challenge will require you to win raids with teams that meet certain qualifications—and that’s just the beginning!
Level 48: The requirements to reach level 48 are focused on one of the most important things in all of Pokémon GO: your friendship with your Buddy Pokémon! From kilometers walked to the number of Souvenirs you’ve collected, reaching level 48 will require you and your buddy to be laser-focused on developing your friendship with one another. You might find yourself with a surprise avatar item at the end, too!
Level 49: If there’s one thing that matches the importance of your friendship with your Buddy Pokémon, it’s your friendships with other Trainers. The people we meet on our Pokémon journeys bring so much to our lives, and cultivating those friendships is key to becoming an amazing Pokémon Trainer. Reach level 49 by sending Gifts, acquiring Lucky Pokémon through trades, and more.
Level 50: This is it! The home stretch! To reach the highest available level in Pokémon GO, you must master all aspects of the game. Some examples include making Excellent Throws, catching Legendary Pokémon, and defeating Team GO Rocket Leaders with Pokémon under 1,500 CP, so you can tell this will be the ultimate test of whether you’re ready to stand among the most accomplished Trainers in Pokémon GO. And, of course, you might also find yourself with a surprise avatar item at the end!
Special Friendship Event
And finally, to celebrate the GO beyond app a special friendship event will be starting tonight at 9pm UTC which has gaster increasing friendships, a stronger attack boost in raids and the abilitity to open up more gifts from friends. As friendship is the fastest way to earn experience this is a sure fire way to make sure you can get that last bit of experience to get to level 40!
Video game completionist and 3D platformer connoisseur, Riley is a fan of the whimsical frenzy of bright and colourful characters that blessed us in the late 90's. Their favourite game's are Spyro, Persona 5 and Super Mario Sunshine.
