Niantic’s Pokémon GO has officially announced its first competitive battle ladder, the GO Battle League. The preseason will be rolling out to players worldwide based on in-game level over the course of the next week.
Pokémon GO has been one of the most successful mobile games since its release in 2016, and it still remains one of the most popular mobile games in 2020. Being able to go out into the real world and catch Pokémon and interact with the world around them has been a dream come true for many fans of the series.
Up until now, however, players haven’t had many options when it comes to battling others. Third-party websites like The Silph Road were responsible for setting up competitive battles and tournaments because players could only battle each other if they were together in person or if they had a high enough in-game “friendship level.”
Pokémon GO Battle League
The GO Battle League will let players around the world battle one another. The League will start with the Great League format, which means players can only use Pokémon under 1,500 CP. The preseason will rotate formats to the Ultra League (Pokémon under 2,500 CP) and the Master League (any Pokémon) on Monday, Feb. 24, and Monday, March 9, respectively.
Pokémon GO isn’t giving up on its dream of getting players out and moving, however. To enter the GO Battle League, players will have to walk five kilometers. Once they do this, they will unlock five battles. This can be done three times per day. Players can also use PokéCoins in-game to gain entry without walking the full five kilometers. The closer they are to five, the fewer coins this will cost. However, your first set of GO Battle League battles is free, with no walking requirement.
Players will be able to earn rewards based on their rank and how many battles they win. Pikachu Libre and other avatar items will be exclusive preseason rewards. Players will also get Stardust, Rare Candies, TMs, and Pokémon encounters as rewards for winning battles.
Finally, players can use Premium Raid Passes to enter the premium track in the GO Battle League. Winning battles here will grant better rewards per win, but it will not impact rank.
❗ Attention ❗
Trainers will soon be able to battle other Trainers from all around the world! We’re excited to announce that the #GOBattle League preseason will be starting soon! Learn more: https://t.co/Vc43qvu1sg pic.twitter.com/6f2jHzPKND— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) January 28, 2020
Anyone interested in finally using their hard-earned Pokémon in Pokémon GO can finally do this, albeit with a little bit of walking. Stay tuned for more updates on the GO Battle League!
