New information discovered by data miners investigating the latest Pokémon GO update suggests that the mobile game could soon give players the ability to power up PokéStops. While the augmented reality title has seen a number of changes throughout the last 12 months in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the addition of free Pokémon GO Remote Raid Passes, many basic mechanics have remained unaffected since its initial release in 2016.
Earlier this week, it emerged that the Pokémon GO Rivals' Week event update will introduce two new Pokémon into the game. The Poison/Water Pokémon Skrelp and Water-type Clauncher, who were first introduced to the franchise in Gen VI, will both be available for capture as part of a series of Spring-themed challenges running between April 1 - 18. Other Pokémon, such as Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee, Makuhita, Meditite, Zangoose, and Seviper, will appear more regularly, and Nidoqueen and Nidoking will show up in Raids.
A group of Pokémon GO data miners has discovered references to a new feature in a new update to the mobile game. According to PokeMiners, the 0.205.0 update has details about an ability to power up PokéStops. These common locations provide players with valuable resources such as Poké Balls and Potions. Since the debut of Pokémon GO almost five years ago, PokéStops have remained largely (if not entirely) unchanged. However, this leak suggests that users will somehow be able to upgrade them to increase the chance of getting better rewards. The images shown in the Tweet below also indicate that multiple players might be able to take advantage of a powered-up PokéStop.
Developer Niantic has also recently entered into a new partnership with Nintendo, giving the studio the opportunity to create games based on the gaming giant's biggest franchises. The first project created as part of this agreement will be a Pikmin mobile game with similar mechanics to Pokémon GO. This will likely be the first of many titles based on Nintendo's series that will come to mobile devices in the next few years, but leaks like this one about PokéStops' evolution make it clear Niantic is far from done with the game that put it on the literal map.
The constant development of Pokémon GO is one of the main reasons that the game has remained popular and successful. Considering that PokéStops are such an important part of the basic gameplay, it makes sense that they would see some sort of update at some point, especially when so many other mechanics have been changed in recent times.
Pokémon GO is available on iOS and Android.
Source: PokeMiners