Pokémon Go just teased the addition of trainer battles to the wildly popular mobile game today, and players everywhere are losing their minds.
Get prepared… Trainer Battles are coming soon to Pokémon GO❗ #GOBattle pic.twitter.com/AUWyhNGlT7
— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) November 30, 2018
Players have been requesting the option ever since the game debuted two years ago.
This will effectively add the hotly-anticipated player versus player mode to Pokémon Go, so players can square off against each other with their own Pokémon squads, just like in the core series. It’s part of a set of more traditional mechanics that have consistently been on fans’ wishlists along with more nuanced Pokémon encounters.
❗❗😮 pic.twitter.com/2Zg5PvNUv6
— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) November 30, 2018
The big reveal on the official Pokémon Go Twitter account came Friday as a series of tweets, hinting at something with one exclamation point, then multiple, then an image of a female Pokémon Go trainer presumably waiting for an opponent to approach. Finally, the full reveal came in a tweet stating that trainer battles would be coming “soon.”
We hear you loud and clear, Trainers! Here’s your exclusive sneak peek into Trainer Battles: coming with Trainer Battles is the introduction of three Pokémon GO Trainer Battle Leagues—Great, Ultra, and Master! #GOBattle pic.twitter.com/oZWeIMS6iN
— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) November 30, 2018
Later in the afternoon, Niantic offered a bit more information on what players could look forward to with the battles. There will be three different leagues that you can participate in, named after different Poké Ball types: Great League, Ultra League, and Master League.
Here’s a breakdown of each Battle League’s requirements:
— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) November 30, 2018
🏆 Great League: 1,500 CP limit per Pokémon
🏆 Ultra League: 2,500 CP limit per Pokémon
🏆 Master League: No CP limit per Pokémon pic.twitter.com/qF7f3KDco5
CP strength, which is typically determines which Pokémon will emerge victorious in battles, will no longer be the “only deciding factor” for trainer battles. Each league has a different maximum Pokémon CP limit, with Great League capped at 1,500 CP per Pokémon, Ultra League at 2,500 CP, and Master League removing the cap so that there’s no limit for those players.
While Pokémon with high CP might be a big advantage in Master League battles, Trainers will have to think more strategically when battling in the Great and Ultra Leagues, where there are specific CP limitations. pic.twitter.com/lRKc11Acbf
— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) November 30, 2018
As the official Pokémon Go Twitter account points out, this means Pokémon with high CP might give players an advantage in Master League battles, but there will be more strategy involved when there are limitations placed on players in the other leagues. These decisions were made, according to Niantic, in a bid to create a system that feels “accessible” to a wide variety of trainers.
There’s more information to come, the Twitter account tells us, but one thing’s for sure right now: People are ready to get their trainer battles on.
https://twitter.com/REVERSALYOUTUBE/status/1068535341492174854
EVERYONE🤯 pic.twitter.com/KHAg90y2Iq
— MYSTIC7 (@MYSTIC7) November 30, 2018
LET’S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
— Nicholas Oyzon (@trnrtips) November 30, 2018
I WANNA FIGHT EVERYONE!!! DROP THIS NOW!! LETS GOOOOO #PokemonGO pic.twitter.com/hmbRbZrRtv
— DX1 (@DX1Tweets) November 30, 2018
— MokArc (@Mok_axe) November 30, 2018
https://twitter.com/GeckoBuddy/status/1068538065998606336
Hype! pic.twitter.com/I3KULjscMA
— Bart V L (@Bart_V_L_) November 30, 2018
— Sandra1810 (@ssandra1810) November 30, 2018
Remember: if you make eye contact, you HAVE to battle. Youngster Joey says so. That and shorts are cool and comfy.
— Kip Dudemeister (@KipDudemeister) November 30, 2018
It’s great news that the game is continuing to expand, and the player base is raring to go when it comes to testing their skills. Get ready for a whole new layer of Pokémon Go.
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