Pokemon Go Update to Add Raid Battles, New Gym Features, Items, and More

Pokemon Go’s latest update is set to add raid battles, new gym features, and a slew of new items among other things.

According to game developer Niantic, several changes are coming to Pokemon Go. The biggest addition is the new Raid Battle feature - it’s a cooperative game mode that has users working together to defeat a powerful Pokemon known as a Raid Boss. It’s not too dissimilar to what we’ve seen in massively multiplayer online role-playing games like World of Warcraft or shared world shooters like Destiny and its sequel Destiny 2. Don’t expect it additional tries in a day to be free though.

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“Before you can battle the Raid Boss, you’ll need a Raid Pass. You can get one free Raid Pass per day by visiting a Gym, but you can only hold one at a time. You can also get Premium Raid Passes from the in-game shop,” explains Niantic in a post. “Upon using your pass to join the battle, you and up to 20 other Trainers work together to defeat the Raid Boss. If you successfully defeat the Raid Boss within the five-minute time limit, you’ll have the chance to catch an extra powerful Pokemon of your own.”

Defeating a Raid Boss nets players unique items like Rare Candies which when used on a Pokemon turns into that Pokemon’s Candy, Golden Razz Berries which let Pokemon assigned to a Gym recover its motivation meter or increase the chance of catching Pokemon in the wild, and Technical Machines that will teach Pokemon a new Fast or Charged Attack.

Also new is how Gyms work in Pokemon Go. Item acquisition will be possible by spinning the Photo Disc and accessing Gym-based features and content won’t be dependent on Prestige and training. Rather they feature six permanent slots that can be filed by the controlling team’s Pokemon and each Pokemon should be unique. Opposing teams will battle Pokemon in the order they were assigned. Furthermore, the company shed light on the game’s new motivation system.

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“At the heart of the update is a new motivation system that will significantly change how you interact with Gyms. When a Pokemon is assigned to a Gym, a motivation meter will be displayed. Pokemon assigned to defend a Gym lose motivation over time and as they are defeated in battle. As a Pokemon loses motivation, its CP will temporarily decrease, making it easier for opposing teams to defeat. To help keep the Pokemon motivated and in tip-top shape for their next battle, Trainers can treat their team’s Pokemon to some Berries, which restore their motivation. If a Pokemon loses all motivation, it will leave the Gym and return to its Trainer the next time it loses a battle, so you’ll want to keep your team’s Pokemon motivated by giving them Berries frequently.”

This isn’t all. Interacting with Gyms earns players Gym Badges which players can level up by battling other Pokemon Trainers, giving berries to Pokemon in Gyms, and spinning a Gym’s Photo Disc.

In order for these sweeping changes to come into motion Gyms will be temporary disabled and will return when the update has been rolled out the world over. This will be followed by the Raid Battles added to the game over the next few weeks, first in beta to a small set of players and then via invites to a larger group, gradually expanding to Gyms worldwide.