Pokemon Go news: Forget Halloween, it’s time for a Battle League minus Friend Codes

There’s new Halloween Research to complete and Shiny Pokemon to catch but the big new feature for Pokemon Go is being saved for 2020.

This would be the launch of the game’s first online PvP mode that will allow Trainers to take their best Pocket Monster onto the multiplayer stage.

The Pokemon Go Battle League will be different to the current PvP system as it won’t require Friend Codes.

A whole ranking system has been teased for the big update, which has a release window set for early 2020.

Fans will be hoping for a January or February launch as this could be one of the biggest changes yet.

From what was announced today, it looks like fans will be able to compete in a new ranked league.

The thing that makes it a little more GO-centric is that Trainers will have to walk to gain access to multiplayer.

Which is a pretty unique feature when it comes to online PvP gameplay.

Niantic has been testing the waters for such a feature for a while, with players battling eSports style during the Pokemon World Championships.

But this will be the first time gamers will be able to take on the best players around the world without the need for Friend Codes.

“Battling has been a core part of the Pokémon universe since the very beginning,” Niantic posted today.

“We’re excited to announce the development of a feature that will build upon Trainer Battles, the current form of player vs. player battling that exists within Pokémon GO. This feature will be called GO Battle League.

“Like many Pokémon GO features, GO Battle League will encourage players to get out and explore the world with Pokémon.

“Trainers will be able to walk in order to earn entry into the GO Battle League, then battle opponents from around the globe through an online matching system and rise in the ranks of the league.

“We hope this feature will make the Pokémon GO battling experience more competitive and accessible to more Trainers.

“GO Battle League is slated for release in early 2020. We’ll be sharing more details in a special Dev Insights video soon. Stay tuned, Trainers.”

As stated above, more news on this massive feature will be shared in 2019, and looks set to provide a lot of new juicy details.

Niantic have been on a long journey to flesh out the features and gameplay of Pokemon Go, which launched in July 2016.

And the announcement that online PvP gameplay is coming soon will be seen as one of the final pieces of the Pokemon Go puzzle.

source: express.co.uk