Niantic confirms Pokemon Go Buddy feature that means you can earn Candy as you walk

Last week it was revealed by dataminers that Pokemon Go has been hiding a Pokemon buddy system in its code. It turns out that was, well, super effective as studio Niantic has now confirmed that the feature is definitely on the way to Pokemon Go, along with more updates in the fall. 

The new system means we'll be able to select one of our Pokemon - psst, I choose you, Pikachu - to wander around with. This will, according to the update from Niantic, open up "unique in game rewards and experiences." Buddy Pokemon will appear alongside your avatar on the trainer screen and it's time to celebrate because we'll get "helpful bonuses" such as Candy for walking together. This means things are going to get a lot easier if you want to level up specific Pokemon. C'mon, Magikarp, we're going for a very long walk. Check out how it will look in the screens below. 

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Louise Blain

Louise Blain is a journalist and broadcaster specialising in gaming, technology, and entertainment. She is the presenter of BBC Radio 3’s monthly Sound of Gaming show and has a weekly consumer tech slot on BBC Radio Scotland. She can also be found on BBC Radio 4, BBC Five Live, Netflix UK's YouTube Channel, and on The Evolution of Horror podcast. As well as her work on GamesRadar, Louise writes for NME, T3, and TechRadar. When she’s not working, you can probably find her watching horror movies or playing an Assassin’s Creed game and getting distracted by Photo Mode.