While Pokemon Go may not still be the sensation it was when it first released, it is still one of the most played games in the world with a reported 65 million monthly players. Niantic is working hard to keep those players satisfied and with the Summer update, is bringing a few new features to the game. They include:
- Multiplayer Raid Battles : Up to 20 players will be able to work together to take down extremely powerful bosses. Bosses will show up at gym locations in the form of an egg, and groups will then have 5 minutes to defeat the boss. If you manage to defeat the boss, you then have a change to capture the rare creature (though it will be difficult). There will be additional items that you can only get during these boss battles as well.
- Redesigned Gyms : One of the larger changes is that gyms will now also function as pokestops and you’ll be able to get items from them just like any other pokestop. A scaling measure, named Motivation, is also being added which will affect the CP level of Pokemon who are at gyms for extended periods of time (thus making them easier to defeat). Lastly, the number of pokemon at gyms will be permanently held at 6 slots (of mixed types) and you will now battle them in the order in which they were added (rather than simply lowest to highest).
Our Take
While not in the spotlight daily as it once was, Niantic reporting that Pokemon Go still has 65 million players logging in monthly was a surprise to us. We hope they continue to polish the game and add more depth over time. This summer update looks to be a good next step!