What's New With Pokemon GO?

Just a few weeks ago Niantic informed Pokémon GO players all around the world that updates for the game would come out about every twoweeks, and just like promised, the new update has hit Android and iOS users all over the world. Still everyone is wondering, did they do anything worth while and how will this help the many once enthused, but now frustrated Pokémon adventurers. Whether or not the update provided any major benefit depends onthe player, but at least Niantic is trying and sticking to their word, so take a look at what they brought to the Kanto table.

1. Battery Saver Comes Back to iOS!

After removing the much needed feature from iOS due to complaints that it was causing the game to crash, Niantic has blessed the Pokémon/Apple community with an updated and crash-free version of the feature that won't really save your battery per se, but it definitely helps. This was a big relief to iPhone users everywhere since the game will drain your battery in a matter of a couple of hours, and with the Pokémon GO Plus delayed until late September, it's nice to have it back.

2. Change Your Name... But be Warned

While you may not be able to change your team in Pokemon GO yet (because we all know everyone wants to be Team Mystic now), Niantic did throw players some kind of Cubone for this update, and it's not terrible puns. According to the app you can now change your username in case you realized you don't like the name FartBombXXX anymore. Just be warned that the app will tell you that you can only do this one more time, so make it something you really want to stick, like TeamMysticForLife... yeah that just feels right.

3. Make Sure You Stop Before You GO GO

One part of the update that many players will more than likely dislike is the fact that if you are playing in a car a notice will popup telling you not to drive and GO at the same time. Not only that, but you have to push a button that states that you are the passenger. Now, this is kind of understandable because no company likes to be liable for the injuries of its customers, but the notice pops up multiple times in one car ride, especially if you start and stop a lot. Hopefully they will find a fix for it, but for now just be prepared to explain yourself a lot.

4. Get the Experience Points you Deserve

I bet you that at some point in the game you have thrown a wicked curve ball or the screen has told you "great" and "nice," but has failed to give you the extra 10-20 points you know you deserve. It has happened, hasn't it? Did you feel cheated? Well Niantic has heard your frustration and this update fixed that problem, so you should definitely get the points you know you deserve for all your "great" throws.

5. Pokémon GO Tracking Solution?!

As frustrating as the original Pokémon GO tracking system was, it was even more frustrating when they took it away entirely due to multiple glitches leaving trainers to fend for all themselves. It was as if professor Oak would have let us go out into the tall grass without a Pokémon! Luckily for us Niantic is always looking to make their players happy, and are possibly on the way to not only fixing the tracking system, but also improving it. The update informs users that a small percentage of people were granted access to this mysterious new tracking system for testing purposes, and its been speculated that group is located in San Francisco, California, so we all know who to be jealous of.

It is rumored that the new system actually shows you pictures of Poké Stops that the Pokémon are near, and when you click on the Pokémon's picture it will show you on the map where they are. Also, if the rumors are true, the game will let you know if the Pokémon flees so you don't race to the area for nothing. For now everyone else that didn't get the testing system gets a tracking system with better graphics and grass behind the Pokémon, and while it tells you what Pokémon are around, there are competing opinions on how close those Pokémon really are to you, and of course you still have no idea what direction to go. Still, at least they are trying, and maybe in the next update we will all get cool new trackers that actually work well.