Pokémon GO changes gyms, adds raid bosses

Posted on June 20, 2017

Gyms as we currently know them are no longer going to be apart of the Pokémon GO experience. In fact, those who are currently playing the popular mobile game would have noticed that gyms had been disabled recently pending the big change.

So what is changing in Pokémon GO ?

Quite a few things actually:

  • The entire prestige and training system is no longer in the game
  • Gyms now carry six Pokémon rather than the previous maximum of 10
  • All 6 Pokémon must be a unique species
  • Battling at a gym will follow the order the Pokémon were assigned, not lowest CP to highest
  • You can now spin a gym’s disk for items much like a PokéStop
  • Coins are now awarded when your Pokémon is defeated and returned to you, based on how long they were deployed

Pokémon GO gyms and raids

New motivation system incoming

The Pokémon at a gym will also be subject to a new motivation system. Over time and over multiple battles your Pokémon will begin to lose motivation and subsequently lose CP, making them easier and easier to defeat. This process can be counteracted with the use of berries which help perk your Pokémon’s motivation back up!

Gym Badges are coming

You can’t feel like a real Pokémon trainer until you start getting awarded with gym badges for your valiant efforts. The new update will provide gym badges which you can earn from interacting with the gyms around you. Every gym has their own badge and these badges can be levelled up by fighting at the gym, giving your Pokémon berries at the gym, or spinning the gyms photo-discs. Once levelled up, your gym badge will provide bonus items and increased rewards from gyms.

Okay, so tell me about Raid Bosses then

This is where things get super interesting. When the Raid Boss systems begins, this is what you should expect:

  • When a raid begins, all Pokémon in the gym at the raid’s location will be sent back to their trainers
  • An egg will appear at the top of the gym and a timer will begin ticking down
  • When that timer reaches 0, a Raid Boss will appear (a very powerful Pokémon)
  • Everyone within the area will have the opportunity to take on the Raid Boss as a team
  • If the Raid Boss is defeated, players have the chance to be awarded with a whole bunch of awesome prizes that include a chance at catching a rare Pokémon, Rare Candy (which can be used as any Pokémon’s candy), Golden Razz Berries (which are a more powerful form of the Razz Berry or can be used to fully fill a Pokémon’s motivation), and two types of Technical Machines that can be used to permanently teach a Pokémon a new move!

Trainers will also be able to create private raid groups and invite their friends.

The changes to gyms are expected to hit soon. The Raid Boss update will be coming at a later (but not too much later) time.

The official announcement of the changes can be found here.