Pokémon Go is getting a buddy system
The new feature will let you become best friends with a Pokémon.
Despite its initial success, Pokémon Go has been struggling to maintain its popularity. The game's active users have shrunk by more than 10 million from its mid-July peak, which makes keeping the remaining players engaged that much more important for developer Niantic Labs. The studio is introducing a new feature in the form of a buddy system that might add an interesting dynamic to the game.
You will be able pick your favorite Pokémon from your collection and become best friends with them, allowing you to earn in-game rewards. The Buddy Pokémon will appear next to your Trainer avatar on the profile screen, and can be switched any time. Details, like whether or not a Buddy Pokémon might help you catch other Pokémon, are scarce at the moment. But, Niantic has promised the buddy system will go live soon.
Beyond that, the studio has more features in the works, and they're all slated to come out this fall. With Pokémon Go's downward spiral, a consistent dose of updates might help keep the game relevant in the coming months and years.
