In its most fundamental change to gameplay yet, Pokémon Go will soon allow you to take part in raid battles with friends from home.
The change is one of several new features in development at Niantic in response to the global coronavirus crisis, detailed today in a lengthy blog post from company founder John Hanke.
The post also touched on the game’s annual Go Fest events, which see tens of thousands of players meet up in cities every summer.
Niantic will be “re-imagining” these to bring them “directly to your home” via “an entirely new way to enjoy Pokémon Go Fest”. More details will be announced soon.
There’s no word on when or how remote raiding will work – we’ll update as more is announced.
In other developments, Adventure Sync, the game’s method of tracking steps while not playing, will be tuned to work “even better with indoor movement and activities”.
Another feature on the horizon, meanwhile, will be a way to “virtually visit and share memories” from previously-visited locations.
“We created Niantic with a mission to help people get outside, exercise, and explore the world, with the ultimate goal of helping people connect with others,” Hanke wrote. “Today we support a global community of hundreds of millions of people who look to our games for regular entertainment and an opportunity to get outside and connect with friends.