Pokemon GO has Detective Pikachu themed content heading its way tomorrow, May 7th. The update serves as one of the last big promotional pushes ahead of the film’s May 10th release.
Detective Pikachu is the first live-action film based on the massively popular franchise. The film stars Ryan Reynolds as the voice of the talking electric rodent, Justice Smith as his human companion, and a who’s-who of realistically rendered pocket monsters. Early reviews thus far have been mixed to positive (here’s what we think). This update also continues the slew of special events that have helped maintain interest in Pokemon GO. In 2019 alone developer Niantic has held successful events centered around the Lunar New Year, Spring Equinox, and, most recently, Earth Day.
Beginning tomorrow through May 17, players can catch Pikachu sporting his signature detective hat. The only way it will appear, though, is by using GO Snapshot. While taking pictures Detective Pikachu will randomly photobomb players, unlocking the opportunity to add it to their collection. Other Pokemon prominently featured in the film, such as Psyduck, Jigglypuff, Bulbasaur, and Snubbull, will also appear in the wild more frequently. Players should especially keep an eye out for shiny Aipom. Double XP will be doled out for every Pokemon caught during the event on top of its other features.
New Raid Battles pit players against the movie’s starring Pokémon, while Field Research takes on some movie-themed inspiration too, though exactly what that entails is unclear. One would imagine it would, again, revolve around monsters key to to the film. Finally, players can deck out their trainer with Detective Pikachu avatar items. These include a detective hat, complete with giant Pikachu ears, and t-shirts decorated with the film’s logo.
Given the success of Pokemon GO’s events, it’s unsurprising to see one dedicated to a genuinely landmark moment for the franchise. It should make an already exciting week for Pokemon fans even more fun. The Poke-mania doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon, either. The CG remake Mewtwo Strikes Back: Evolution hits Japanese theaters soon (and hopefully western audiences, eventually, though that remains unconfirmed). Of course, there’s also Pokémon Sword and Shield coming to Nintendo Switch this holiday, too. 2019 certainly looks to be one for the books for enthusiasts trying to catch em’ all.
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Source: Pokémon GO