'Pokemon GO' 2017 updates: special summer event and Gen. 2 batch tipped to come this year
With Niantic Labs rolling out some holiday-themed specials from events to limited creatures for "Pokémon GO," loyal players are wondering whether this will be the norm moving forward or not. Since the new year has turned, no new updates have been rolled out but that does not necessarily stop the internet from speculating what other seasonal updates could be coming to the augmented reality game.
One of the most popular theories rounding the online world right now is the notion that a summer-themed Pokémon may be coming out once Spring is done. Taking cues from the very festive Pikachu donning a bright red Santa hat over the holidays, fans are speculating that pocket monsters donning their favorite beach outfits or paraphernalia may be coming. Furthermore, the introduction of the Alolan Pokémon opens the possibility that they may be eventually crossing over to the augmented reality title. After all, "Pokémon Sun and Moon" director Junichi Masuda previously said that "definitely want to have some kind of — at some point — some kind of connectivity, some way the games can interact." Or better yet, some nodes of the tropical island background can be incorporated to the critters wandering in cities or rural areas. In terms of events, Niantic Labs can have more PokéStops or maybe gyms in beaches where people usually flock during the summertime.
Aside from these possible seasonal rollouts, arguably one of the most-anticipated releases for "Pokémon GO" is that of the introduction of a new batch of creatures. Referred to as Generation 2, the list is tipped to bring in a variety of never-before-seen critters that could hopefully pique interest for the game again. It is no secret that there was a steady decline in engagement on the title following its massive launch back in July. The rumor with regard to the additional monsters has long been tipped with high expectations of it dropping even before the year turned as part of the holiday rollouts but obviously that did not happen.
