Pokemon GOtrainers who love to battle were likely very excited yesterday when Niantic announced therollout of the updated Battle League features. The new functionality was first available to only the highest level players, but was slowly being released to everyone throughout the day. Unfortunately, things have now been put on pause.
Players who gained access to the Battle League yesterday were reporting some issues with the 5km requirement for unlocking sets of Battle League matches, but aside from that things sound like they are working well. There are apparently some issues behind the scenes though, since Niantic wants to slow things down before fully unlocking the newPokemon GOfeatures for everyone.
The rollout was paused yesterday evening and the official statement explained that Pokemon GO wants to ensure a smooth rollout for everyone when it does arrive. That logic makes sense and hopefully any server issues are resolved quickly and that rollout comes within the new few days.
Players interested in what features are going to be added once things resume can learn more about them now…
Rewards will be determined by rank and battles won
Trainers will be asked to walk five kilometers in order to earn entry into the GO Battle League and unlock five online matches, and this can be done up to three times a day. As you battle, you may receive a large amount of Stardust depending on your rank and how many of the five battles you win. More wins earn you more Stardust! You’ll also be able to earn important battle-related items (like Rare Candies and TMs) and exclusive Pokémon encounters!
Pikachu Libre and avatar items inspired by it will be GO Battle League rewards!
Clad in a wrestling-themed costume, Pikachu Libre was first featured in Pokémon Omega Ruby, Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, and Pokkén Tournament. It’ll be making its Pokémon GO debut as a Pokémon that can be encountered exclusively via participation in the GO Battle League. As you rise in the ranks during the preseason, you can also look forward to avatar items inspired by Pikachu Libre as exclusive rewards. Be sure to dress up with some of those items to show off your battling prowess, since only participants in the GO Battle League can obtain them!
Premium Raid Passes will soon be Premium Battle Passes
This pass might look familiar—it’s the Premium Raid Pass but with a new name! This pass can be used to enter Raid Battles or to enter the premium track in the GO Battle League. Trainers might find winning on the premium track even more rewarding! The Premium Battle Pass will allow you to receive better rewards each time you win, and it will also lower the number of wins needed to earn certain Pokémon encounters. Using a Premium Battle Pass does not affect your rank or rating—the only way to improve those is to win.
Use Battle Now to gain early access to the GO Battle League
Just finished your walk and realized you still have one kilometer left to walk before you may battle? The Battle Now feature gives you the ability to spend PokéCoins to enter the GO Battle League early. The cost decreases as you get closer to the five-kilometer goal. Note that you still need to walk at least two kilometers before you can use this option. There’s no substitute for getting out and walking! You can always walk the full distance to enter the GO Battle League without spending PokéCoins.
For now, players may want to keep hunting downthe best Unova Pokemon in the gameif improving their Battle Raid rosters is their primary goal. Be sure to check back in the near future for morePokemon GOstrategy guides, news, and updates. Until then, good luck out there, trainers!
Pokemon GOis available now in select regions on Android and iOS devices.
MORE:Pokemon GO Lunar New Year Event: What Are The Lucky Trade Odds?
