Niantic announced that it will be rolling out new social features for Pokémon Go, as well as updates for in-person raids. The new social features are based on the social App experience that Niantic has been experimenting with Ingress Agents. The test has been going on for a few months, and the app is available only in a closed beta to the Ingress Community.
The purpose of the app is to make it easier to communicate among the different agents at Ingress. The app includes features called Local #Communities, Niantic Friends, Direct & Group Messaging, and Real-World Events. Pokémon Go will begin to incorporate these features into the main game in the coming months.
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Local #Communities make it easier for players to find other players by creating local communities in nearby areas. The Niantic Friends feature allows users to add and manage friends across all of Niantic titles. Direct & Group Messaging organizes all chats with friends in one place. Real-World Events allows players to quickly create and share local events with reminders, and they will also be able to invite their community to join these events. It is unknown how many of these features will be fully integrated into Pokémon Go.
Niantic claims the purpose of including these new social features is to help bring people together and enjoy the game as a community. Niantic recognizes how in-demand it is for players to communicate with one another, and the company intends to make improvements with the social features over time.
The updates for in-person raids for Pokémon Go will roll out this month. Mega Energies and Rare Candy XLs will start being available as rewards for completing local raid battles. Beginning May 23, the PokéCoin Event Box that is available in the shop will no longer include the Remote Raid Passes. Instead, the box will include a rotating array of items that are determined randomly.
