The upcoming Love Cup in Pokémon GO's Battle League will celebrate Valentine's Day by limiting players to using only red and pink Pokémon. Pokémon GO, which launched in 2016, is a mobile ARG that allows gamers to explore real-life locations to find and catch virtual Pokémon. The game has been highly regarded for promoting physical activity and popularizing the use of location-based virtual reality technology in gaming, and its popularity and post-launch support has only grown in recent years.
As Pokémon GO approaches its five-year anniversary of release, developer Niantic has implemented an extended celebration event. Players have been able to explore a number of classic Pokémon regions, with the spotlight currently falling on the Johto region from Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal. The Johto event introduces a shiny variant of Miltank, while also makes Generation 2 Pokémon much more common. On February 20 a premium event will begin, which gives players a 12-hour window to explore the Kanto region.
Pokémon GO developer Niantic has announced that a special Valentine's Day themed Love Cup will commence on February 8. This trainer battle event features a wholly unique gimmick, as players will only be able to utilize Pokémon that are red or pink in color in their parties. While this specific mandate may seem restricting, a list of red or pink Pokémon reveals that players will have plenty to choose from, including popular picks like Charizard, Jigglypuff and Lickitung. The Love Cup will last until just after Valentine's Day, ending on February 15.
Alongside the game' five-year anniversary, Pokémon GO has also hit an additional milestone within the last few days. An Australian Twitch streamer named FleeceKing recently reached level 50 in the mobile title, making them the first player to ever do so since the cap was lifted. The accomplishment was streamed live on Twitch, drawing in almost 5,000 viewers at one point. Only minutes after FleeceKing hit level 50 mark player, Lauren Bertoni, also reached the impressive level 50 mark.
Even five years on, Pokémon GO continues to receive dedicated support from both Niantic and Nintendo. The game sports a highly dedicated fanbase, and the 2016 title has resulted in a massive spike in the popularity of alternate reality mobile titles. The Love Cup is a particularly interesting event, and it's one of many events players can look forward to during the road to the Kanto. It may not be groundbreaking new content, but this romantic tournament is a nice compliment to the already grand celebration of Pokémon GO's five-year anniversary.
Pokémon GO is available on iOS and Android.
Source: Pokémon GO Live