More Pokémon Go Quality-of-Life Improvements

Pokémon Go, being a mobile game, benefits greatly from continuous updating, whether it's to add new features or improve upon existing ones. The latter seems to be what the game desperately needs the most, given its sizable history of bugs or things that are off. The good thing is that Niantic does realize at least some things that need to be improved, and they have, through "quality-of-life improvements" that do just that. Recently, there have been a couple more of these, and they're worthy of some discussion along with how they were in the past and some of the ones then.

Back then, I wrote about some of them in the framework of "countermeasures" since at the time activity in Pokémon Go decreased due to what happened in the world. Now, current conditions have only improved modestly, but it's enough to make people active again, especially in Pokémon Go. Accordingly, I'm not discussing about them as countermeasures anymore, but just as updates in general that make things more viable and less demanding in the game to afford some more enjoyment.

Moving forward from then, some became relevant to Mega Evolution, for which I've discussed the "quibbles". In response, Mega Evolution time was extended from 4 to 8 hours, Mega Evolution for a previous Mega-Evolved takes even less Mega Energy from 1/4 down to 1/5, more tasks feature significantly more Mega Energy, one can walk with a Mega-Evolved Buddy to gain Mega Energy, and when Mega Evolution is active, one can earn Candy for Pokémon of the same types (something I mentioned as a Community Day strategy). The "less demanding" quality is evident here.

More recently, one improvement has affected the Go Battle League. I've noted before that it was conceived with walking in mind, but now there has been a change of mind: the GBL will no longer require walking in order to battle, and this applies onwards. As such, one is now free to battle all 5 sets of 5 battles (25 in all) in the GBL any time and anywhere without being constrained to walk in order to battle. Battle fiends will certainly welcome this, as will perhaps Trainers of Level 49 who struggle in competitive battling.

Like Mega Evolution, Candy XL also has its "quibbles"... or mostly had, thanks to a recent update. Trading Pokémon now may reward Candy XL depending on the locations of the traded Pokémon, walking with a Buddy can possibly reward Candy XL, and catching evolved (1 for a stage 1 evolution, 2 for a stage 2 evolution), Legendary (3-6), or Mythical (3-6) Pokémon is now guaranteed to give Candy XL. The chance element is still there, but it has been somewhat reduced, and the most obvious means of obtaining now allow for such. The effort is also still demanding, albeit now less so.

At this point, Pokémon Go has improved overall from what it was before, especially in regard to what was improved above. Improvements are a continual thing for Pokémon Go and mobile games in general, but with the way things have gone in Pokémon Go, they are not only expected but also demanded. It is certain that the features that were added above were already of great benefit; the quality-of-life improvements are then designed to affirm and augment that fact if it isn't already evident.

One year ago: The First Hoenn Saga Japanese Opening Theme

Two years ago: The Poké Ball Classics Merchandise Line

Three years ago: Yes, Even More Pokémon Stickers

Four years ago: Every Day We're Shufflin'