Pokemon Go Beyond update adds Gen 6 Pokemon, raises level cap to 50, introduces seasons, and more

The Pokemon Go Beyond update has been officially announced by developer Niantic.

The massive update will add Pokemon from the Kalos region, raise the level cap to 50, and introduce seasons to the game.

Set to go live from November 30, Pokemon Go Beyond will be the largest update added so far, with some big changes coming to the way you level up along with a host of new events and features.

From December 2 at 10 am local time, Gen 6 Pokemon from the Kalos region will begin to appear in the wild more often, including Pokemon X and Y starters Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie, along with their evolutions. A mystery Pokemon will also be hatching from one-star mystery raid eggs.

Pokemon Go Beyond levels

The other major change enables you to go beyond the current cap to reach level 50, with new challenges, rewards, and exclusive items. Levelling up in Pokemon Go is also getting some big tweaks to make it more accessible to new players and those who haven't played in a long time.

From November 30, you'll earn more XP from catching Pokemon, hatching eggs, evolving, registering new Pokedex entries, and much more. If you've already reached level 40, any additional XP you've already earned will also count towards reaching new levels, so nothing goes to waste.

You can also power up your Pokemon to a higher CP at each trainer level than you could before. As well as earning XP, you'll also need to complete new level-up research tasks between levels in order to get to 50, which are set to present with a variety of challenges and new platinum badges to earn. You can see some examples of the kinds of challenges you'll face in Niantic's post here.

All requirements for pre-level 40 will remain the same, but it'll be easier to get your hands on more XP. Any trainers who reach level 40 before December 31 at 11:59 pm local time will also earn the title of Legacy 40 Trainer, along with some exclusive rewards such as special timed research challenges that will get you a snazzy Gyarados hat for your avatar. If you're hoping to get that title in time, you'll be happy to know you can now earn double XP from catches from November 18 until December 31.

Pokemon Go Beyond Seasons

Seasons will also be coming to Pokemon Go that will reshape events in the future. Every three months, a new season that will see different Pokemon appear more often in the wild and in raids, and different forms of Pokemon can appear depending on which hemisphere you're in. Events will also be themed around the season they take place in, with frequent updates throughout the seasons. With the introduction of Kalos Pokemon, you'll also see some new Mega-evolved Pokemon appear in raids in each season, with some having increased CP for a limited-time.

The seasons will kick off on December 1 at 8am local time with the Season of Celebration, which will usher in the Kalos pokemon and a variety of in-game events with Professor Willow, featuring Pokemon from all of the different regions introduced so far, including Kanto, Johor, Sinnoh, Hoenn, Unova, and of course, Kalos.

Go Battle League changes

Go Battle League will also see some changes, with expanded ranks going from 10 to 24, along with new names and badges for the top four ranks in the league. These new ranks include Ace, Veteran, Expert, and Legend. In a bid to make the Go Battle League experience smoother and more balanced, Niantic is bringing in a new reward structure, where you'll have more opportunities to earn rewards from increasing in rank.

12 Days of Friendship

Finally, a 12 Days of Friendship event starts today on November 18 and will run until November 30 at 1pm PST. Friendship levels will increase at a faster rate from opening gifts, battling in raids, gyms, or trainer battles, and trading. You'll also get increased XP from completing raids, along with an additional attack boost when you battle with friends.

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