March 10, 2023

Our continued commitment to real-world play in Pokémon GO

Our continued commitment to real-world play in Pokémon GO

Dear Trainers,

Today we want to share our renewed commitment to bolstering Pokémon GO’s in-person experience. We have a lot planned for Pokémon GO in 2023, but first we’d like to recap some of our recent updates and share additional updates that are coming soon.

Game Updates

Elite Raids that feature new or unique Pokémon—such as this weekend’s Regidrago Elite Raids—are one of the first steps in that commitment. We are also working on the following.

  • Improvements to raids that make it easier for you to participate in local Raid Battles and to become friends with Trainers you’ve battled with.
  • Enhancements to the game experience when playing in person with family and friends.
  • New features that provide benefits and encounters with more Pokémon while exploring outside.

Campfire

Last year, we launched Campfire in select US cities. Campfire’s goal is for Trainers to connect, discover local communities, and find active nearby Raid Battles. We’ve continued to improve Campfire through the following updates focused on helping Trainers better communicate and work together to tackle Raid Battles in person.

  • Adding the ability to start conversations at PokéStops and Gyms around you
  • Adding the ability to navigate from Campfire to a specific Gym in Pokémon GO

Campfire will also see updates soon to significantly improve how Trainers connect, chat, and join Raid Battles together in Pokémon GO. This is a key step in preparing Campfire’s continued rollout and access for Trainers around the world this year.

The Community Ambassador Program

As another demonstration of our core commitment to promoting real-world social gameplay, we are continuing to grow our Community Ambassador program. This program, available in select areas, nurtures in-person Pokémon GO communities while also fostering new communities for Trainers to find. We’ve added two hundred Community Ambassadors from around the globe since its launch last August, providing them with tools to connect to their local player bases and unique incentives to encourage local gameplay.

We look forward to sharing additional updates about the program later this year, including new ways to join and celebrate your local community.

—The Pokémon GO team

Please be aware of your surroundings and follow guidelines from local health authorities when playing Pokémon GO. Upcoming events are subject to change. Be sure to follow us on social media, opt in to receiving push notifications, and subscribe to our emails to stay updated.