New “Routes” feature in Pokémon GO lets you build your own reward roads

Pokémon GO should get new features. The new routes could be particularly interesting. What’s in it?

Here’s what’s going on in Pokémon GO: Pokémon GO is set to get new features throughout the year, and as part of the Summer Game Fest, developer Niantic revealed some of them to various media outlets.

The two now better known features are “Routes” and “Showcases”. According to current information, both invite you to play outside and explore places. This fits in with previous statements from Niantic. But especially the route feature could be interesting.

Here we take a closer look at the new feature.

What are routes good for in Pokémon GO?

These should be routes: As reported by Pokémon GO Hub and Dot Esports, the routes are content that will be heavily influenced by the community.

Effectively they run like this:

  • Players find a Gym or a PokéStop
  • From here you can start a “route” – it can be any kind of walk
  • This route is then captured and recorded by Pokémon GO. This is completely free and not tied to stops.
  • Then the route has to end at a stop or an arena again – but it can also be the starting point.
  • Then trainers can add descriptions, tags and the like
  • When the route is complete, Niantic approves or rejects it. The developer hopes that this process will take a maximum of 24 hours per route after submission by the trainers.

    If the route is accepted, other trainers can find and follow it in-game.

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    What are the routes good for? They could become an exciting feature as they offer a very personal way for trainers to immortalize themselves in the game.

    On the one hand, they follow Niantic’s discovery vision: For example, routes should be used to show particularly cool corners in your area. Especially when arriving somewhere new or visiting, this could be a nice way to explore the area.

    “Magic moments, secret gardens, hidden stairs, cool backyard murals, [Dinge]that you wouldn’t know about unless someone showed you. Routes allow you to share and access that knowledge by following in the footsteps of other trainers,” Senior Producer Chad Jones told Dot Esports.

    At the same time, the routes should also bring in rewards if you follow them. This applies if you complete other routes, but also your own routes. The language is of Pokémon spawns, XP rewards and passive bonuses.

    This in turn could be very interesting for players in rural areas, because theoretically you only need a PokéStop or an Arena to start your own route. If you put them on yourself, you can theoretically build your own reward roads.

    However, it remains to be seen what exactly the rewards will look like – just like the release of the feature. Because Niantic has not yet named a period for this.

    What do you think of the new feature? Tell us in the comments!

    You want to know what else is going on in Pokémon GO? Here you can find all events in June 2023 at Pokémon GO.

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