Pokemon Go to add Routes & PokeStop Showcase features soon
Niantic/The Pokemon CompanyNiantic confirmed important new features for Pokemon Go during Summer Game Fest, including Routes and PokeStop Showcases for players to compete and show off their experience.
Pokemon Go‘s last season was plagued with controversy and saw many players quit the mobile game for good after some crucial changes. The #HearUsNiantic movement rose again to demand Niantic listens to their playerbase, but was met with no official response from the devs. Instead, they assured players new features are coming to enhance the overall experience with Pokemon Go.
During Summer Game Fest, Niantic revealed some features that have been at the center of leaks and rumors recently. Soon, players will be able to show off their Pokemon in PokeStop Showcases and guide other players with Routes.
PokeStop Showcases are coming to Pokemon Go
Fans who were in the Los Angeles area during Summer Game Fest had the chance to try some of these new Pokemon Go features early. The PokeStop Showcase will work similarly to Contests in mainline games. These were introduced in Gen 3 and became an important feature for players to enjoy.
NianticAccording to the devs, each PokeStop Showcase will center around a specific Pokemon, letting players show off their best catch. Players will compete to see who has the biggest Pikachu or the heaviest Blastoise, among many other options. A single PokeStop can hold different Showcases at a time, but they will probably be more active during special events.
There will be some kind of leaderboard for players to see in each PokeStop holding a Showcase. However, these leaderboards will only be available for a brief period, probably tied to in-game event durations. Players will get new medals for partaking in Showcases as well.
“We’re pretty light on leader boarding and explicit competition in the game, and that’s deliberate,” explained Director of Product Management Alex Moffit to DotEsports. “We know that’s happening outside of the game amongst friend groups, everybody’s finding creative ways to compete. So we thought, what if we bring a little bit of that spirit into the game itself,” he added.
Pokemon Go Routes will let players create their own content
On the other hand, Pokemon Go will also add the highly expected Routes feature soon. This will allow players to show off their cities and guide others through less visited areas for additional rewards.
Those who would like to submit a Route will need to set a starting and a finishing point based on an object like a PokeStop or Gym. Then, simply walking the Route, they will be able to submit it for review. If it gets approved, the path will get bonuses and it will be discoverable from the Nearby section of Pokemon Go. The whole review process can take up to 24 hours, according to Niantic.
While most players are happy with new features coming to the game, some of them are still skeptical. PokeStops arrive in the game after a long review process that can take years in some cases. So, many players believe Routes won’t be as speedy as Niantic promises.
Niantic/The Pokemon CompanyRoutes will feature Pokemon encounters, passive bonuses, and extra XP. “It actually becomes a very good source of XP. So again, like you’re in a rural area, walking around, and you need better sources of XP, Routes become something that can hopefully become fundamental to the gameplay in a way that really elevates it for various communities,” explained senior producer Chad Jones.
For now, PokeStop Showcases and Routes have no launch date in sight. Pokemon Go Fest 2023 will take place in July and August and could be a great instance for players to try new features.
We’ll keep you updated with the latest news on Pokemon Go. In the meantime, you can check everything there’s to know about the Hidden Gems season or how to get Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf in Pokemon Go.