While apparently resigned to the reality that it may never possibly recapture the record number of players it had during its glory days from last year, “Pokémon GO,” the once globally addictive AR-using mobile game from Nintendo and niantic labs, continues to carry on with new updates and features. As if to make up for the flubbed organization of the mobile app game’s first anniversary last July, Niantic has been doing its utmost to bring something new to the “Pokémon Go” experience. The most awaited addition to the game (at least for those who still play) is the introduction of Pokémon from the Generation 3 games, and they will arrive close enough to Halloween to figure in the special event.
‘Gastly’ Halloween again
On Friday, October 20, Niantic Labs will begin adding Pokémon from the Gameboy Advance games “Ruby” and “Sapphire,” to the ““Pokémon Go” poke-dex bestiary. The Pokémon featured in the duo of GBA games is also known as the third “Generation,” and they feature in the Hoehn region as shown in the anime series from years back. Over 100 new character critters are expected into the game world, randomly popping up in places much like the Pokémon that appeared before them.
But that is merely the beginning. Nintendo and Niantic made quite the splash during the Halloween season of 2016 when they introduced in-game events tied to major special occasions. The original “Pokémon Go” Halloween event had the game app servers up the frequency of “ghost-type” Pokémon appearing on the virtual maps like Gastly and Haunter.
This year will be much the same, but with newer ghost-types jumping into the fray, alongside hybrids with the “dark-type” creatures like the gem-eyed Sableye. The developers have promised that even more new Pokémon will start appearing for the app in December, just in time for the Christmas event.
Coming next
The first in-game Halloween extravaganza for “Pokémon Go” in 2016 sort of codified how Niantic Labs went about making special events in the app game.
Aside from the increased visibility of the spooky Ghost-types, there were limited-time gameplay enhancements like double Pokémon candy gained from catching, transferring and hatching poke-eggs. The developers even made available some special dress items for the player avatars, purchasable with special online currency.
Having the Generation 3 Pokémon around is but the latest means that Nintendo and Niantic have implemented for “Pokémon Go” in order to keep the player base from shrinking and perhaps entice newcomers into trying the game app.
Niantic CEO John Hanke, briefly unpopular with “Go” fans for his poor handling of the July anniversary event, is optimistic of what the game can do more in the future. He is still determined to see gameplay elements like Pokémon trading and true player-versus-player fights being introduced eventually.
