Pokémon Go updates: Here's what's next!

What new features are coming to Pokémon Go in 2017? Gen 2, new Gym system, Player vs. Player, and perhaps trading and more!

Updated April 2017: Pokémon Go has hinted at spring for new co-op play mechanics and details on the new Gym system have been found!

Pokémon Go launched in the summer of 2016 and has been updated regularly ever since. From Buddies to bonus streaks, we've been getting new features roughly every three months. So, what does 2017 hold for Pokémon Go? Gen 2 launched in the first quarter, so that leaves the new Gym system, PvP, and maybe even trading for the rest of the year!

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Q1 2017: Pokémon Go Gen 2

Pokémon Go Gen 2 was the big rumor for the first big update of 2017 and it didn't disappoint. February brought with it almost 100 new Pokémon to hatch, catch, and evolve.

Read all about Pokémon Go Gen 2

Q2 2017: New Gym system?

From Niantic, developer of Pokémon Go:

We continue to be inspired by the passion of the 65+ million people from around the world playing Pokémon GO each month. We're still at the beginning of the journey and there's a lot more to come. With spring arriving in the northern hemisphere, players can look forward to all new cooperative social gameplay experiences in Pokémon GO that will give Trainers new and exciting reasons to get back into the sunshine.

Cooperative and social gameplay sounds like it'll involve teams and require some organization!

Some other hints were posted on The Silph Road:

"gym_removal_notification_toast" "{0} has fought hard and returned!" "{0} は "pokemon_hungry_notification_toast" "{0} is hungry!" "{0} はお腹が空いている"

"pokemon_lost_notification_toast" "{0} lost a battle!" "{0} は負けてしまった"

"pokemon_won_notification_toast" "{0} defended the Gym!" "{0} はジムを守った！"

"nearby_raid_notification_toast" "Nearby raid starting soon!" "近くのジムでバ

"gym_removal_notification_toast|1" "{0} is back after a hard battle!" "{0} が

"gym_removal_notification_toast|2" "{0} was forced off the Gym!" "{0} がジムか

"pokemon_hungry_notification_toast|1" "{0} needs a pick-me-up!" "{0} のお腹が

"pokemon_hungry_notification_toast|2" "{0} wants a berry!" "{0} はきのみを欲

"pokemon_lost_notification_toast|1" "{0} was defeated in battle!" "{0} は負けて

"pokemon_lost_notification_toast|2" "{0} fainted at the Gym!" "{0} はひんしになっ

"pokemon_won_notification_toast|1" "{0} was victorious in battle!" "{0} はバトル

"pokemon_won_notification_toast|2" "{0} has triumphed over your opponents!"

"nearby_raid_notification_toast|1" "There's a raid about to start near you!"

"nearby_raid_notification_toast|2" "A raid's going to start nearby!" "近くでバ

That sounds like you'll need to feed berries of some type to Pokémon that on Gyms, and also that raids and other mechanics will come into play.

No word on the timeline yet, other than spring.

How do we know what's coming in 2017?

John Hanke, CEO of Pokémon Go developer Niantic, spoke to Vice about this year's updates:

These include monster trading and player-versus-player battles. These are on the way, says Hanke, who adds that if the servers hadn't been so sketchy at launch, at least one of them would already be out there, likewise a gym battle system, supplementing what he feels is a "rudimentary" version of the game they envisioned.

"It's going to be done soon," he says. "It is what it is. I'll take the massive wave of hysteria we enjoyed, and just deal with the fact that it's caused us to take a bit longer to get the rest of the features up. We're really happy to make our users happy."

Fully bankrolled basically forever thanks to their success to date, Hanke once again wants to focus on Gen 2 and events.

With Pokémon Go established as the preeminent title people think of when you say "augmented reality"—and Hanke foresees that being the case for several years and platforms to come—and generation two Pokémon coming to the game, it's not about to fade away. And Hanke really is determined to make the social side of Niantic's creation all the more visible in the months ahead.

"My heart is really with events, and that's something I really want us to try to solve in 2017," he concludes. "It's complicated, though, to do them at the scale that Pokémon Go demands. But, to me, that would be the best demonstration of the vision of this company, which is all about playing games together, outside, with other people."

Can you sum that up for me?

Sure. Much have it has been rumored for a while, but here're the bullet points:

Q1: Pokémon Go Gen 2
Q2: New Gym system
Q3: Player vs. Player?
Q4: Trading?

Also: More Events!

How can you prepare for the new Gym system and PVP?

That could also go in a few different directions. If Pokémon Go makes substantive changes to the power levels and movesets, then it's wide open for all types of subtlety, nuance, and deep gameplay.

If not, if CP and movesets stay the same, then the answer in the future will be similar to what it is now: Get as many Tyranitar, Dragonite, Snorlax, Gyarados, Blissey, Rhydon, and Vaporeon and other top-tier attackers as possible, with the best movesets possible, and power them up as much as possible.

Best Pokémon to evolve and power up in Pokémon Go

What can you do to prepare for trading?

Since we don't know what mechanics will be involved — will you be able to trade with anyone, anywhere, or will you have to be physically standing next to someone to trade, like you to battle a Gym together — it's hard to predict what you'll need to do.

Trading does require Pokémon you want to trade and that others want to trade for, though. That probably means you should accumulate some "extra" high-value Pokémon that are attractive but you won't mind giving up.

Regionals, including Taurus, Mr. Mime, Farfetch'd, and Kangaskhan will no doubt be super popular. Abundant for those in the right regions, impossible to find for those anywhere else, a top-notch regional will certainly be a hot commodity. If the trade mechanics make it easier than simply flying over to catch them.

High CP, high stat (IV), and great movesets will likely also be in high demand. You might not want to give up a perfect Dragonite, but you might be willing to trade a close-to-perfect one, or some Dratini so someone else can evolve.

Special editions, like Santa Hat Pikachu and Raichu, could also be of interest, especially to those who missed out on the Holiday 2016 event.