Following rumours earlier in the month that Generation 2 Pokemon were on their way to Pokemon GO, Niantic have released the game’s major holiday update. Select Gen 2 monsters (that’s the Gold and Silver era for those of us old enough to have been around for that) are now appearing in Pokemon GO and there’s never been a better time to get back out there and start hatching those eggs.
The monsters themselves include Togepi, Pichi, Cleffa, Igglybuff, Smoochum, Elekid, Magby and Tyrogue. You’ll notice these are all baby Pokes and there’s a reason for that: these new creatures can be collected through the game’s egg hatching mechanic — hit up a nearby PokeStop, spin the wheel, hoover up a few eggs and start walking to hatch them. Niantic have stated that these are the first of many new monsters coming to the game over the coming months.
The holiday update goes a step further however, adding a new version of Pikachu that comes with its own Santa hat. If you were one of the few who hadn’t managed to snare a Pikachu yet, congratulations on your new catch because Niantic says the little guy is going to be spawning like crazy until the event finishes up on December 29.
“As we race toward 2017, we can’t help but feel grateful for the support and reaction the Pokemon Go community has given us, and we’re delighted to start rolling out select Pokemon for them to hatch,” reads a statement from Kei Kawai, director of product at Niantic.
Pokemon GO remains one of the year’s biggest mobile gaming successes but its user base has diminished considerably since its explosive, server-shredding launch earlier in the year.
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