Niantic and The Pokemon Company have announced today that they are continuing to improve the augmented reality aspect of Pokemon Go, using the iOS ARKit to capture the magic of Pokemon. The company had already been using ARKit, but they are now implementing AR+ to create more realistic Pokemon than ever before.
This feature is exclusive to those who own iPhones or iPads and will include a huge overhaul on the augmented Pokemon that you can capture. Perspective, size, and visuals will all change with this update, making the Pokemon on your screen look more realistic than ever before.
Pokemon will now be more realistic in terms of size and look different with regard to your perspective. They are also now fixed in a certain place, meaning you will be able to get up close and move around the Pokemon while still seeing every tiny detail.
Furthermore, this technical overhaul will include Pokemon having a greater sense of awareness, meaning if you get too close too fast, they’re likely to disappear. The awareness bar will allow you to see if that Pokemon is likely to flee; it also means that if you’re careful, you can receive the Expert Handler bonus as well. The Expert Handler bonus is completely new to the AR+ mode and gives you the opportunity to earn even more XP and Stardust. In addition, if you catch a Pokemon while near it, you can gain Great and Excellent Throw bonuses alongside the new bonus.
Pokemon Go still boasts an enormous player base and has seen a total of 750 million downloads since its inception in 2016. Even critics of the game are beginning to turn due to the new generation and subsequent updates that are being released by Niantic and The Pokemon Company.
The AR+ update is available starting today and can be downloaded by those using an iPhone 6 or newer (or users of iOS 11).
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What do you think of the new Pokemon Go update? If you’re not still playing, will you return to the game? Let us know in the comments below.
