Pokémon GO getting new social features, updates for in-person raids, and more

The world of Pokemon GO is always changing, and Niantic is constantly looking to improve and enhance the experience. The team behind the game has just revealed their latest plans for the title, and they’re looking to tweak some social features and change up in-person raids.

Here’s what Niantic detailed today in a new blog post discussing future updates.

• new social features, with some based in a separate Niantic app
• these features will be available in Pokémon GO sometime in the next few months
• social aspects will make it easier to communicate with each other, discover new communities, and enjoy local raid battles
• as of this month, Mega Energy and Rare Candy XL are available as rewards for completing local raid battles
• starting on May 23rd, the shop’s 1 PokéCoin Event Box will no longer include Remote Raid Passes and will instead feature a rotating array of items

Niantic’s own blog shares a few more details on the social features that have been tested in recent months. While we don’t know that all of these features will come to Pokémon GO, we’re sure that at least at few of them will make the transition. The new features may include the following:

• Local #Communities: Easily find other players by creating local communities around you.
• Niantic Friends: Easily add and manage your friends and fellow Agents in Ingress, and across all Niantic titles.
• Direct & Group Messaging: Organize all your chats with friends in one place, and coordinate Field Ops.
• Real-World Events: Quickly create and share local events, farms, or meetups with reminders, and invite your community to join and play!