The official Pokémon website has been updated with information about Pokémon GO, the upcoming smartphone entry into the franchise – the first official release of information since gameplay footage leaked from SXSW panel.
Players will be encouraged to travel with their smartphones to find and catch wild Pokémon – when near a Pokémon, your phone will vibrate to alert you, and Pokémon can be captured by aiming with the smartphone touch screen and throwing a Poké Ball. Pokémon can also be found at PokéStops in the form of Pokémon eggs – “if you’re lucky.” PokéStops will be a feature based at “interesting places, such as public art installations, historical markers, and monuments” where players can also collect Poké Balls and other supplies.
The mechanism for evolution will be different in GO – instead of leveling up your Pokémon, one can be evolved if you catch the same species of Pokémon repeatedly enough times. At higher Trainer levels, more powerful Pokémon will appear within the world, as well as more powerful items.
As with the main games, certain Pokémon will only be found in certain areas – certain water-type Pokémon, for example, may only be found around lakes and oceans.
An interesting addition is the mention of teams and the integration of Pokémon Gyms. As explained below:
At a certain point in the game, you’ll be asked to join one of three teams. Once you join a team, you’ll gain the ability to assign Pokémon you’ve caught to empty Gym locations or to a location where a team member has placed one of his or her Pokémon. Like PokéStops, Gyms can be found at real locations in the world. Each player can place only one Pokémon at a particular Gym, so you’re encouraged to work with others on the team to build up a strong defense.
If a Gym is already claimed by another team, you can challenge that Gym using your own Pokémon. Using the Pokémon you’ve caught, engage in battle with the defending Pokémon at the Gym to claim control.
This information seems to imply that the game will have some kind of story progression, even if it’s just simple cutscenes based around certain level benchmarks.
Players will be able to complete challenges that include everything from catching Pokémon to exploring the world. Completion of this challenges will unlock achievement medals that appear on the player’s profile – certainly a thrill for completionist players everywhere.
The Pokémon GO Plus was also explained – the portable device connects to smartphones via Bluetooth, and will notify the player about events in the game using an LED and vibration. Players will also be able to catch Pokémon and perform other simple actions by pressing the buttons on the device.
The game is currently beta field testing in Japan.