It’s quite clear that it’ll be a teensy bit less than impossible for Pokémon GO to recover the same number of active players it had last summer. Still, the latest update for its first birthday has brought a set of new features that increase its appeal, whether it’s the new system of gyms, raids against powerful creatures, or the various local events set to take place in cities around the world.
There are new Pokémon in those eggs
Since the anniversary event new kinds of Pokémon have been discovered in eggs, depending on the number of kilometers needed to make them hatch. Specifically, there’s a Pichu wearing Ash’s hat and a Spinarak in the 2Km ones, a Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Houndour, Hoppip, Marill, Natu, Swinub, Snubull, Totodile, and Wooper in the 5Km ones, and Porygon and Chuchou in the 10Km ones. Important detail: these new appearances are temporary and only stick around throughout this week.
Better gym and Pokéstop spacing
If your faction controls a gym, you can spin its photo disc to get items as you would in a Pokéstop. Plus in these spots you can get raid passes, which you need to participate in the raids where you face high-level Pokémon. Besides the internal change, some Pokéstops have been removed and others turned into gyms, which makes some of the geographic areas where exploration points were scarce a bit more homogenous.
The raids are more fun
The raids consist of group faceoffs with up to 20 players against a super-powerful Pokémon. You’ve got 5 minutes to defeat him when he appears in your gym, and at the last minute you can capture him. Plus after defeating him you can get rare candies and golden berries.
It’s easier to conquer gyms
Six is now the top number of Pokémon a faction can set up in its defense, and each one has to be a different type. Plus a a new motivation meter makes it so that the power of a Pokémon set up as a defender ticks down, so now it’s much harder to defend a position and the assaults and recoveries are more dynamic.
The Pokemon GO Safari Zone event
The Pokemon GO fest is an event set to be held in Chicago on July 22, designed to let trainers from all over the world participate in special events. Special challenges are also slated for several other countries like Denmark, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Spain. Find the full schedule, rules, and awards for each event on the official Pokémon GO blog.
