Summary
Pokemon GOwas released nearly eight years ago, in July 2016, and quickly became a global phenomenon, encouraging millions of players to get outside and catch these loveable critters. Fans might remember the first few weeks following the release ofPokemon GOwhen it seemed like everyone was playing the game, even those who had never been interested in the franchise before. While the game doesn’t have the same level of hype around it today as it did back then, there are still many reasons to playPokemon GOin 2024.
The player count forPokemon GOpeaked at 232 million in its release year and has slowly declined over time, though it has seen a slight bump in players in the past year. Despite this declining player base, the game is still active with over half a million concurrent players andnew content forPokemon GOplayersto experience is still being introduced on a regular basis. As such, this year is a great time to jump intoPokemon GO, whether it’s for the first time or returning after having taken a break from the game following its initial hype.
Pokemon GO is Still a Great Way to Get Active in 2024
New Features Pokemon GO Introduced Last Year
Even in 2023,Pokemon GOintroduced new ways to experience the game that players who haven’t played in a while should check out in 2024. Recent features like Routes allowed players to follow curated paths created by users with the possibility of findingZygarde Cellsalong the way, and the introduction of Party Play finally gave players the chance to group up in-game to complete more challenges than just Raids together.Pokemon GOeven introduced the iconic Master Ball in 2023, guaranteeing players catch the critter they use it on.
In addition to these new features,Pokemon GOadded a handful of new monsters to the game as well, giving players even more creatures to collect. Several Gen 9 mons made their debut inPokemon GOin 2023, including the starters fromPokemon Scarlet and VioletSprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly. Gen 9 mons continued to roll out inPokemon GOduring events like the game’s Halloween Event, which featured Greavard and Houndstone, as well asCetoddle and Cetitan during the Winter Holiday Eventand Tadbulb and Bellibolt during November’s Festival of Lights Event.
Pokemon GO Events to Look Forward to in 2024
Pokemon GOis currently in its Timeless Travels season, which features critters fromPokemon Legends: Arceus' Hisui Region as its main focus. As a part of this season, players can look forward to thePokemon GOTour: Sinnoh event, which is set to featureOrigin Forme Dialga and Palkiafor players participating in the event. This event comes to Los Angeles first for in-person attendees on February 17-18, followed by a global digital event beginning on February 24-25, giving players around the world a great reason to check out all the new additions the game has to offer, including a chance of obtaining a shiny Origin Forme Dialga or Palkia.
Players can also expectPokemon GOto continue its monthly Community Day events throughout 2024 as well, with January already having finished its first event featuring Rowlet, and this month’s Community Day Classic coming up on January 20 featuring Porygon in the spotlight.Pokemon GOalso recently confirmed that Chansey would be the critter in the spotlight for theFebruary 2024 Community Day, so players looking to add a shiny Chansey to their collection should check this event out. These events show that Niantic is committed to supportingPokemon GOeven eight years after its initial launch, making it a game worth playing in 2024.
