Sometimes Pokémon Go implements a feature for everyone, but then as soon as that happens, it has to be removed because of a bug of some sort. The feature that I'm about to discuss in this post suffered from the same fate around the middle of the previous season and only came back just recently, enough for me to make a write-up on it. Of course, that was intended to happen even when the feature was implemented properly, so this can be considered a "delayed" one in a way.
The feature is called Weekly Challenges, and as its name suggests, it presents ways for Trainers to take on and complete tasks within the specified period that becomes the feature's namesake. The addition of this feature also necessitated a change for the last tab of one’s Trainer profile; the tab is now called the "Social" tab, with Party Play taking up one section and this feature in another section - specifically, above it - in boxes that resemble "cards" containing the now separate features.
Up to four Trainers may participate in a Weekly Challenge, and they don’t have to be close by; they may be far apart from each other and can create groups by inviting others in their Friend Lists. Once everyone is assembled, the real fun begins, as they are to complete a long-form task (this initial week is to catch 500 Pokémon) over the course of the week, with great rewards in wait (like this week, Stardust and Friendship levels).
Players who play a certain other ex-Niantic Games game might find this approach familiar, as that game has a "quest" implementation that is strangely similar to this implementation. That might also suggest how the initial problems came about, as the system might have possibly been lifted as-is for use in Pokémon Go, resulting in the flaws of a not-quite-tested approach.
As for the overall impressions of this feature, it could be loosely described as a "remote Party Play" due to its adjacency to that very feature, particularly as described above. Its progress displays - the progress bar on the card, as well as the pop-up screen for each completed quarter - also have some resemblance to Party Play. And of course, the objectives are essentially that, but spread out over the course of a week.
If there is another takeaway for this feature, it is that it represents a "delayed" transformation as well, given all the happenings of the past season, the one in which the feature was supposed to have debuted in. Perhaps the greatest "transformation" is having the feature pave the way for great paths of Trainers pursuing a grand achievement in just a week’s time.
One year ago: Pokémon Through the Ages: The Classical Era
Two years ago: On Raid Problems and Their Compensation
Three years ago: It's a Rotom World
Four years ago: Creatures of the Land
Five years ago: Play Where You Are (or at Home)
Six years ago: Time of Posting
Seven years ago: Pokémon Asia McDonald's Happy Meal Toys, Waves 1 and 2
Eight years ago: Watching and Re-Watching
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