Niantic revealed today that the Buddy Adventure update for Pokémon Go is coming by 2020. It will give players new ways to interact with their favorite Pokémon partner.
Pokémon Go has been a big hit since its 2016 debut, having earned over 1 billion downloads and raking in millions of dollars with its free-to-play model. It’s the biggest location-based AR game in the world. Adding new features can keep its current players happy and encourage lapsed fans to return.
If you have AR enabled in the game, Buddy Adventure lets you interact with an assigned Buddy Pokémon in new ways. You can feed your Buddy Pokémon, which can then increase its Buddy Level. Higher Buddy Levels give your perks, like giving your Pokémon the ability to help you catch other pocket monsters.
Your Pokémon can also gain affection for you by having it follow you on the game’s map or by taking part in battles.
Coming later than the Buddy Adventure update, players will eventually be able to hang out with their friends and their buddies in a shared AR experience.