Niantic has certainly been on a roll with updates recently! In the first four months of 2018, we've already gotten Mythical Pokémon, Generation 3, weather, research tasks, multiple events, many new Shiny Pokémon, AR Plus, Community Days, EX Raid improvements, and five new Legendary Pokémon. Given the pace of 2016 and 2017, this is remarkable! But we have another eight months in this year, so what else will Niantic add to Pokémon GO in that time? Here's what we think might come:
BATTLE SYSTEM UPDATE: Lets face it, the battle system is stale and needs an update. While we think that this system works for Raid Battles, it does not bring any fun to Gym Battles. Our current system would also never work if Niantic added player-versus-player battles (PVP).
Because this update is so needed and desired by fans, we think that this summer could be the time it's released. After all, many people that stopped playing Pokémon GO could come back if the battle system gets updated / PVP gets added. If Niantic wants to get as close as they can get to another Summer 2016 Pokémon GO craze, releasing PVP this summer might do that.
ANNIVERSARY EVENT: This summer will mark Pokémon GO's two-year anniversary. It will also mark the one-year anniversary of Legendary Pokémon's addition to the game. To celebrate both of these milestones, we expect Niantic to do something spectacular.
This spectacular event, we expect, will have Legendary Pokémon star in some way. It could be some new Legendaries, some Shiny Legendaries, or even some massive re-release of Legendary Pokémon. We could even see Niantic make Mewtwo appear in regular Raid Battles (Shiny variant possibly included) for a limited amount of time.
GENERATION 4: While we aren't sure if we will get the bulk of Generation 4 during 2018, we should get at least some Sinnoh Pokémon made available (probably starting around late summer / early fall). From the amount of Baby Pokémon that GAME FREAK created for this generation, we think it's possible we get another early-baby release.
BREEDING: While we are shocked to even think this is possible, we do think that there is a good chance of breeding coming this year. We think that, should it come, it might be attached to Generation 4 in the same way the weather system was coupled to Generation 3. But why do we think this?
Well, because gender will (should Niantic handle certain Pokémon in the same way as they work in the main series games) finally mean something. Generation 4 introduced gender-exclusive evolutions. For example, only female Combee will evolve into Vespiquen and only male Kirlia will evolve into Gallade. Additionally, because the Mythical Pokémon Phione requires breeding in order to obtain in the core games.
If Niantic is going to go through the trouble to code in gender-exclusive Evolution, they might as well add breeding, too. Now, you could make the argument that Niantic did not add trading when they added Evolution Items with Generation 2, but breeding is different to us. While trading is one of the key pillars of Pokémon, Pokémon GO doesn't seem like it needs it. Breeding, on the other hand, would not be game-changing, but it would be beneficial. It would allow for more chances at Stardust, a specific Pokémon, that Pokémon's Candy, etc.
LEGENDARY RAID BOSSES: Legendary Raid Bosses are a given. After all, Latios and Latias are only around until June 5, and we still have the Legendary Golem trio (Regice, Registeel, and Regirock) to release. Additionally, we have many Legendary Pokémon that could return with their Shiny variants. We speculated about this subject further in a recent article that we suggest you check out.
SHINY POKÉMON: Shiny Pokémon are almost a given. As long as the Community Days keep coming, we should be getting at least one new Shiny family each month. Additionally, we should also expect some random Shiny introductions like we saw with Shiny Wailmer for Earth Day, Shiny Poochyena for the Lunar New Year, etc. Click here to see the April 2018 version of our Available Shiny Pokémon Infographic.
MYTHICAL QUESTS: Mew definetly won't be the only Special Research quest we get this year. We should get one, maybe two or three, more Mythical Discoveries in 2018. Celebi seems like the most likely candidate for that Special Research quest. After all, Niantic should at least get all of Generation 1 and 2's Mythical Pokémon out of the way before the end of 2018.
Jirachi seems like the second-most-likely candidate for a new Mythical Pokémon. Deoxys is also programmed into the game (although its stats are still placeholders). Due to this and Deoxys' strange, multi-formed behavior, we don't see it being released for a while.
In the event we get to the point where Generation 4 Mythicals are ready to be released, there are some that are more likely than others. Darkrai and Manaphy should be able to be released as soon as they're programmed in. Phione will need breeding, and Shaymin and Arceus have multiple forms, which most likely need more time to be released.
FINAL THOUGHTS: We would like to remind you that everything above is entirely speculation, and Niantic has confirmed none of it. We are aware of a Trainer's alleged conversation with John Hanke, Niantic's CEO, on an airplane last weekend. The Trainer, who is a member of the Verified Level 40 group, said that Hanke told him the following things about the future of Pokémon GO:
Now, this conversation has been working its way through the Pokémon GO media for a couple of days now. We have been reluctant to cover it, as the Trainer's account can not be verified. To be clear, we are not calling him a liar, but we have no evidence that the conversation took place. We have video proof of him meeting with Hanke, but nothing more to verify the account.
We have been drafting this article for a couple of weeks now, and did not base it off of this Trainer's account. However, should what the Trainer is saying be true, we think that this helps the feasibility of this speculated schedule.
Thanks for reading, Trainers!
BATTLE SYSTEM UPDATE: Lets face it, the battle system is stale and needs an update. While we think that this system works for Raid Battles, it does not bring any fun to Gym Battles. Our current system would also never work if Niantic added player-versus-player battles (PVP).
Because this update is so needed and desired by fans, we think that this summer could be the time it's released. After all, many people that stopped playing Pokémon GO could come back if the battle system gets updated / PVP gets added. If Niantic wants to get as close as they can get to another Summer 2016 Pokémon GO craze, releasing PVP this summer might do that.
ANNIVERSARY EVENT: This summer will mark Pokémon GO's two-year anniversary. It will also mark the one-year anniversary of Legendary Pokémon's addition to the game. To celebrate both of these milestones, we expect Niantic to do something spectacular.
This spectacular event, we expect, will have Legendary Pokémon star in some way. It could be some new Legendaries, some Shiny Legendaries, or even some massive re-release of Legendary Pokémon. We could even see Niantic make Mewtwo appear in regular Raid Battles (Shiny variant possibly included) for a limited amount of time.
GENERATION 4: While we aren't sure if we will get the bulk of Generation 4 during 2018, we should get at least some Sinnoh Pokémon made available (probably starting around late summer / early fall). From the amount of Baby Pokémon that GAME FREAK created for this generation, we think it's possible we get another early-baby release.
BREEDING: While we are shocked to even think this is possible, we do think that there is a good chance of breeding coming this year. We think that, should it come, it might be attached to Generation 4 in the same way the weather system was coupled to Generation 3. But why do we think this?
Well, because gender will (should Niantic handle certain Pokémon in the same way as they work in the main series games) finally mean something. Generation 4 introduced gender-exclusive evolutions. For example, only female Combee will evolve into Vespiquen and only male Kirlia will evolve into Gallade. Additionally, because the Mythical Pokémon Phione requires breeding in order to obtain in the core games.
If Niantic is going to go through the trouble to code in gender-exclusive Evolution, they might as well add breeding, too. Now, you could make the argument that Niantic did not add trading when they added Evolution Items with Generation 2, but breeding is different to us. While trading is one of the key pillars of Pokémon, Pokémon GO doesn't seem like it needs it. Breeding, on the other hand, would not be game-changing, but it would be beneficial. It would allow for more chances at Stardust, a specific Pokémon, that Pokémon's Candy, etc.
LEGENDARY RAID BOSSES: Legendary Raid Bosses are a given. After all, Latios and Latias are only around until June 5, and we still have the Legendary Golem trio (Regice, Registeel, and Regirock) to release. Additionally, we have many Legendary Pokémon that could return with their Shiny variants. We speculated about this subject further in a recent article that we suggest you check out.
SHINY POKÉMON: Shiny Pokémon are almost a given. As long as the Community Days keep coming, we should be getting at least one new Shiny family each month. Additionally, we should also expect some random Shiny introductions like we saw with Shiny Wailmer for Earth Day, Shiny Poochyena for the Lunar New Year, etc. Click here to see the April 2018 version of our Available Shiny Pokémon Infographic.
MYTHICAL QUESTS: Mew definetly won't be the only Special Research quest we get this year. We should get one, maybe two or three, more Mythical Discoveries in 2018. Celebi seems like the most likely candidate for that Special Research quest. After all, Niantic should at least get all of Generation 1 and 2's Mythical Pokémon out of the way before the end of 2018.
Jirachi seems like the second-most-likely candidate for a new Mythical Pokémon. Deoxys is also programmed into the game (although its stats are still placeholders). Due to this and Deoxys' strange, multi-formed behavior, we don't see it being released for a while.
In the event we get to the point where Generation 4 Mythicals are ready to be released, there are some that are more likely than others. Darkrai and Manaphy should be able to be released as soon as they're programmed in. Phione will need breeding, and Shaymin and Arceus have multiple forms, which most likely need more time to be released.
FINAL THOUGHTS: We would like to remind you that everything above is entirely speculation, and Niantic has confirmed none of it. We are aware of a Trainer's alleged conversation with John Hanke, Niantic's CEO, on an airplane last weekend. The Trainer, who is a member of the Verified Level 40 group, said that Hanke told him the following things about the future of Pokémon GO:
- Generation 4 is being worked on.
- PVP is being worked on.
- The max level will be increased.
- Niantic will host another GO Fest.
- Ninatic will continue to take action against spoofers.
- PokéStop submission feature is coming (as seen in APK datamines).
- Niantic will continue to introduce new Items.
- Niantic is will continue to work to balance the game.
- Niantic will do something in the future about scanners related to Raids.
Now, this conversation has been working its way through the Pokémon GO media for a couple of days now. We have been reluctant to cover it, as the Trainer's account can not be verified. To be clear, we are not calling him a liar, but we have no evidence that the conversation took place. We have video proof of him meeting with Hanke, but nothing more to verify the account.
We have been drafting this article for a couple of weeks now, and did not base it off of this Trainer's account. However, should what the Trainer is saying be true, we think that this helps the feasibility of this speculated schedule.
Thanks for reading, Trainers!