Pokemon Go Leak Hints That Pokestops Can Soon Be ‘Powered Up’ By Players
You'd better put those running shoes on because it looks like Niantic is about to overhaul the way Pokestops work in Pokemon Go. As gaming phenomenons go, Pokemon Go is up there with Candy Crush, Flappy Bird, and even the OG Pokemon Red and Blue in terms of market domination at launch. The augmented reality game first launched in 2016 and paved the way for the various rip-offs and spin-offs that have come since. Importantly, Pokemon Go proved that AR gaming really could be the future.
Although the Pokemon Go fanbase has died off slightly - thanks in no small part of COVID-19 locking us in our homes - there's still a loyal legion of fans who regularly step out into the real world to imagine they're in Kanto, Sinnoh, Kalos, and all the other regions. With the game continuing to be an ever-evolving beast (a bit like an Eevee), Niantic has been listening to feedback and looks set to introduce a feature where players can power up Pokestops.
What's going on with Pokestops in Pokemon Go?
The massive Pokemon Go 0.205.0 update added a tonne of information to the game, which means it's a dataminer's paradise when it comes to unearthing what's on the horizon. As well as new information on Mega Evolutions, there's an adorable crop of Pocket Monsters from Gen VI, and a revamp of how Pokestops work. For those who don't know, Pokestops are tiny discs placed over landmarks, businesses, or even open spaces. Walking past one in real-life and spinning it in-game offers various rewards like Pokeballs, revives, and even eggs.
Posting on Twitter, PokeMiners showed off the new feature that looks like you'll be able to power up a Pokestop. An infographic shows a new tutorial on powering up Pokestops - which hasn't appeared in previous builds. Although there isn't much to go on, the general consensus is that you'll be able to upgrade Pokestops (presumably for a fee) to offer better rewards. Players will know the first Pokestop spin of the day gets you better items, while you also get more for completing streaks by logging in every day.
What else do we know about Pokemon Go Pokestops?
At the time of writing, it's unclear what these Pokstop upgrades could do. The internet seems divided over them offering better rewards to help those in rural areas and whether it will extend a Pokestop's radius so they can be spun from further away. Whatever is going on, it should be good news for those who live in more remote areas and struggle to keep their packs stocked thanks to a lack of Pokestops nearby. Although some features that have previously been mined have never actually made it into Pokemon Go, the fact this one has a whole tutorial gives hope to the idea it'll be on the way soon.
This is the latest move is changing how Pokestops work. Previously, those in rural areas with no Pokestops around could apply for nearby places to become designated Pokestops. It's an idea that worked in theory, but it turns out having your home named as a Pokestop was a hard process. It's all well and good being in a Pokestop-packed city centre, but the further you get out, it's easy to see how sparse they become. It's been a longtime complaint from people that live in the countryside, and while powering up Pokestops won't help the problem with their rarity in these areas, it'll hopefully improve things a little. There's couldn't be a better time to head out into the fresh air to try and catch em' all.
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