Pokémon GO: Here's Everything We Know About The Upcoming Pokémon-Themed Nintendo Direct

On Monday, June 5, Nintendo announced that Nintendo Direct event would be Pokemon-themed. While we don't know the full details, it is safe to assume that the event will be focused on Pokémon GO.

Player vs. Player Combat

Recently, Niantic announced that player vs. player combat would be coming to Pokémon GO. As any fan of Pokémon knows, PvP is one of the franchise's key components. Capturing and training your own team of Pokémon and collecting gym badges are fun, but battling other trainers is at the heart of the Pokémon experience.

Considering how important PvP combat is to the success of the handheld games, it is slightly surprising that it took this long for Niantic to add it to Pokémon GO. Playing against the AI is fun enough for a while, but it doesn't compare to the challenge of battling another human being so this update is a welcome addition to the game.

One thing that bears discussion is the question of balance. Currently, Pokémon GO has been primarily focused on fighting computer-controlled enemies, or what is sometimes referred to as player versus environment, but the addition of PvP brings questions of balance into the game. In any PvP game, it is always a struggle to ensure that no one class is able to dominate the others. The team-building aspects of Pokémon GO make balance a bit less of an issue since players can build a wider team to adapt to changing opponents. Still, it would be disappointing if we started seeing nothing but teams of the Pokémon plucked from tier lists and internet guides.

Legendary Pokémon

In addition to PvP, Niantic has said that the upcoming summer event will add new legendary Pokémon into the game. The company has not provided any details regarding which legendary Pokémon would be added, but, considering the fact that the current game focuses on the earlier generations, we can hope to see Mew and MewTwo.

Other Content

The game originally focused on the first generation of Pokémon but was recently updated to include gen 2. It would be interesting if this summer update added another generation, but that might be asking for too much too soon especially considering we are getting PvP.

Beyond that, it is simply reassuring to know that the game will be getting a steady stream of updates throughout the year. Too many mobile games languish in obscurity after their initial launch.