News
Pokémon GO Game Reveals Trainer Battle System
posted on by Jennifer Sherman
Niantic revealed the details of the upcoming Trainer Battle feature for the Pokémon GO smartphone game on Tuesday. Players will be able to battle fellow players with the new feature that is "coming soon."
Players will be able to battle any player they encounter by scanning special QR codes. Most players will have to be nearby each other to use the feature, but Ultra and Best Friends in the game will be able to battle each other from any distance. Both players in a battle will receive rewards, including rare Evolution items.
Players will choose teams of three Pokémon to use in Trainer Battles. The previously revealed league system will determine which Pokémon players can use in each battle. Trainer Battles will have three leagues: the Great League will have a maximum of 1,500 CP per Pokémon, the Ultra League will have a maximum of 2,500 CP per Pokémon, and the Master League will have no CP limit.
In addition to the Fast Attacks and Charged Attacks that can already be used in other types of battles in the game, players will be able to unlock an additional Charged Attack by using Stardust and Candy. Players will also be able to use new Protect Shields during Trainer Battles, but only a limited number will be available in each battle.
In addition, players will be able to train in battles with team leaders Spark, Candela, and Blanche once per day. Players will receive rewards for these battles, which will include Stardust, and be able to increase the level of their Ace Trainer medals. Players have not been able to advance their Ace Trainer medals since the game's major battle system update in summer 2017.
Vice president of product at Niantic Kei Kawai said, “Trainer Battles have been created from the ground up for Pokémon GO under Niantic's core principles of social gameplay: getting players outside and exploring the real world together." Niantic's product manager for Pokémon GO Matt Slemon said, "The upcoming launch of Trainer Battles marks the very beginning for what we envision for this new dynamic social feature which will grow and evolve over time with new gameplay mechanics.”
The game began releasing Pokémon that originally appeared in the Sinnoh region, which debuted in the Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl games, in October. The game revealed the all-new Mythical Pokémon Meltan in September, and the Pokémon became obtainable with the release of the Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! Nintendo Switch games on November 18.
The Pokémon GO app launched in select countries including the United States in July 2016.
Sources: press release, Pokémon GO game's website
