Pokemon Go developer Niantic continues to tease the release of Gen 4 Pocket Monsters from the Sinnoh region.
After confirming plans to release Gen 4 Pokemon soon, Niantic has posted a water-themed teaser on Twitter.
Pointing at the imminent release of Piplup, the teaser references Piplup’s ability to dive for over ten minutes to hunt.
“We’re excited to hear reports of a Water-type Pokemon originally discovered in the Sinnoh region that can dive for over 10 minutes to hunt,” reads a Niantic tweet.
“Its speed and quick movement definitely lead us to believe that it’s a skilled swimmer. Which Pokemon could this be?”
Piplup is one the Gen 4 starter Pokemon, alongside Turtwig and Chimchar.
Fans can expect similar Turtwig and Chimchar teasers in the coming days, as the Gen 4 release date draws ever closer.
The tweet may also suggest that the Gen 4 starter Pokemon could be released first.
Niantic also plans to make major changes to Pokemon Go as part of the Gen 4 update.
Weather, for example, will have less of an impact on the rate in which certain Pokemon appear.
Indeed, players should notice a more diverse selection of Pokemon appearing in any given area.
“As you explore a given area, you will notice that a greater variety of Pokemon species will appear over time and at different rates,” Niantic explains.
“Certain areas, such as parks and nature reserves, will now contain more varied Pokemon species.”
The Pokemon Go developer also plans to re-balance the battle mechanics in the game.
CP values will be adjusted to improve balance, while HP values will be altered in a bid to close the gap between the stronger and weaker Pokemon.
“Pokemon Defence and Stamina values will be retroactively rebalanced, allowing highly defensive Pokemon to be valuable in battle by outlasting opponents rather than simply running out the clock,” the post continues.
“Defence values have also been slightly retroactively reduced for most Pokemon. Changes like these will help narrow the gap between Pokemon with the highest defensive stats and other Pokemon.”