One of the most highly anticipated mobile games of this year is "Pokemon Go," which uses augmented reality technology so that players can capture and battle Pokemon in their neighborhood. John Hanke, CEO of co-developers Niantic Labs, recently sat down with Venture Beat and revealed a few details regarding the game's gyms.
Gyms have been a staple in the main "Pokemon" video games. In the core games, players must battle 8 gym leaders, earning a badge for each victory. Players are only able to enter the final championship tournament to face off against the "Elite Four" and become a true Pokemon master when they have gathered all 8 badges of the land.
In "Pokemon Go," it appears that gyms will be implemented in the game in some manner.
"It may not be the most rare Pokémon in the world, but there'll be a population of Pokemon living near all our players," Hanke explained. "Gyms will be a bit more rare. You want to find gyms so you can level up your Pokémon and battle there, so it will take a little more effort to get there."
In many ways, this resembles the same function gym leaders have in the core games. Leveling up Pokemon by fighting wild Pokemon via random encounters goes by very slowly. Gym leaders give out far more experience points but also present a higher challenge.
Hanke also explained that the design of the game ensures that players won't be able to just capture every Pokemon instantly in their own little neighborhood. Some Pokemon will only be available in some parts of the world and the only way to gain them is through trading. However, like gyms, there will be events to help players gain new or rare Pokemon.
"Pokemon Go" has no official release date yet but it is expected to release this year, presumably by the franchise's twentieth anniversary celebration this February.
