This Week in Pokémon Go News

[inkstone]

Happy Friday, trainers! I apologize for the quietness. My parents are in town visiting and so I haven't been able to play much PokeGo, let alone keep up with news!

Despite my hopes that the buddy feature would be released this week, that obviously didn't happen. :(

• PSA: There is currently a bug (we think server-side because it just started yesterday and there has been no app update) involving Ivysaur that makes the pokémon 3D models invisible in your inventory, on the map, and even in gyms! This doesn't affect all phones, but a good number are.

• Niantic announced at the Apple event that PokeGo would work on the Apple Watch. It's not a full-featured version of the game, so be sure to read up on the limitations! (source)

• The Pokémon Go Plus accessory will be launching next Friday. (source)

• We've talked in the past about establishments offering deals and promotions to lure PokeGo trainers. Looks like a Singapore brothel adopted this approach. (source)

So what's going on in your neck of the woods, trainers?

Comments

[serpentine]

Yeah, I just saw that invisibility bug last week. It was frustrating because I couldn't even tap on them. But also I was using the possibly shitty bus wifi, so I had chalked it up to that.

[blueraccoon]

I have a question about how you take ownership of gyms. I was out last night and found a gym I could actually take on, and I won all three rounds, but I didn't take over the gym. How does that work?

[inkstone]

Can you clarify what you mean by three rounds?

Taking over a gym isn't dependent on how many rounds you win, but whether you succeed on lowering the gym prestige to 0. You lower prestige with each defender you defeat + a clear bonus if you can defeat all the defenders in one go. As the prestige lowers, defenders will be knocked out of the gym. So you will be fighting the top defenders repeatedly while lowering prestige.

Once the prestige reaches 0, the gym turns grey & then you'll be able to add your defender. Be fast though. Gym sniping is a thing & someone can steal the gym from you with doing any work.

[recessional]

...you would think people visiting a brothel would have other things on their minds.

[willowistari]

I was wondering why suddenly half the pokemon on my map weren't showing up. Freaking made me miss a gastly today and I've only seen two of those since the game came out. >:(

[gorgeousnerd]

Ha, I've never seen an Ivysaur. Or a Bulbasaur, for that matter. I have no way of knowing if the bug affects me or not.

My big Pokemon news of the week: there was a local golf course/restaurant near my house that had a decent amount of stops and two gyms, and the people who owned the place paid Niantic to get rid of them all. (I have no idea why - we were going to eat at the restaurant a lot so we could play. Maybe it was because they generally attract an ~older clientele.) It was the only place within reasonable walking distance for me to play, so I'm crushed. Still, a new stop popped up there in the last update anyway, so at least it's not totally empty?

[lizbee]

I CAUGHT A PIKACHU! I opened up the game while I ate lunch, AND THERE IT WAS, HANGING OUT ON MY SUSHI.

Pikachu: caught on first throw.

Random Pidgey that I was only chasing because I need fairy dusty: ESCAPED FROM SIX BALLS.

[lilacsigil]

Went to the city for a family event, then went to hang out at Altona Beach and caught lots of Pokemon, though not the Snorlax that pops up there on occasion! Highly recommended - lots of places to sit, plenty of people quietly wandering around catching Pokemon, easy to get to from the freeway, nice beach and park to hang out in. It was exciting to be around so many people catching Pokemon!

[sylvaine]

One of the phone plan companies on my way to my new work place has a "Pokemon Go starter deck" option available with 2GB data/month. Nothing new, but I did like that they called it a starter deck :D