Pokémon GO is showing no signs of slowing down, and the game (and its players) were at San Diego Comic-Con in full force. Developer Niantic hosted a panel at the convention to discuss the future of the popular mobile game.
From what the developers shared, it sounds like players can expect plenty of new features in the months and years to come.
As assumed by many players, more Pokémon beyond the first generation of creatures will be added in the future, though Niantic didn't disclose which generations fans can expect to see next. The ability to trade Pokémon is currently in development, but Niantic says it doesn't have a definitive release window for the feature just yet. Currently, Niantic's top priority is to keep servers stable and up and running, something that, thus far, has proven to be a challenge, given the game's huge success.
However, just because Niantic is focusing on the game's servers doesn't mean it isn't thinking ahead. As revealed during the Comic-Con panel, the team has plenty of ideas for what to add in the future. One of those ideas is the ability to customize PokeStops. Currently, PokeStops are assigned to various real-world places of interest, and when they are interacted with, they reward players with various items, like potions, berries or Pokeballs. The developers didn't elaborate too much on exactly how PokeStop customization might work, but they did say it would be a way to encourage players to visit different PokeStops.
Also on the table is the addition of Pokémon Centers. Niantic hinted that players would be able to use items to change a PokeStop's functionality, such as transforming it into a Pokémon Center. In the main Pokémon game series, Pokémon Centers serve as hospitals for injured Pokémon. Trainers often bring their pocket monsters to the centers after battle in order to restore them to fighting shape.
In many ways, it sounds like the Pokémon GO currently being enjoyed by millions is just a taste of a more fleshed-out and feature-rich game that Niantic has in mind. There's no telling when all these new ideas and features will arrive in the game, but no doubt, in the meantime, fans will be plenty occupied trying to catch 'em all.
