Trainer battles are coming to Pokémon Go, allowing PvP for the first time in the worldwide mobile phenomenon, though no specific release date has been given.
Get prepared… Trainer Battles are coming soon to Pokémon GO❗ #GOBattle pic.twitter.com/AUWyhNGlT7
— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) November 30, 2018
Alongside trainer battles are three new leagues players will have to choose from before participating in battles against other Pokémon trainers. These Pokémon Go Trainer Battle Leagues are: Great, Ultra, and Master. Each League allows for a certain amount of maximum Pokémon CP with Great League restricting each Pokémon to only have up to 1,500 CP, Ultra League topping at 2,500, and Master for the true free market individual where there are no limits to each Pokémon’s CP.
While Pokémon with high CP might be a big advantage in Master League battles, Trainers will have to think more strategically when battling in the Great and Ultra Leagues, where there are specific CP limitations.
Throughout December Pokémon Go players will have a chance to once again encounter and capture legendary Pokémon such as Articuno, Zapdos, and Suicune once they reach a Research Breakthrough (essentially completing daily challenges for seven days). With Pokémon Let’s Go! releasing on Nintendo Switch, Pokémon Go also received some new cosmetic items in the store inspired by classic trainers such as Brock and Misty from the Kanto region. The Winter Community Day is currently ongoing and will end on December 2, 2018 and allows players to collect all Pokémon previously available only via events in the past year.
Developer note: When designing Trainer Battles, we wanted to create an experience that everyone can enjoy and ensure that different kinds of Pokémon can show their strengths! With Leagues in Trainer Battles, we hope to create a system that’s accessible to many Trainers.
You can view some images of what the trainer battles and battle leagues will look like in the gallery below.
