‘Pokemon GO’ December Update News: Don’t Count Your Chickens Yet, Gen 2 Monsters Might Roll Out Later Than You Think

Pokemon GO news about the upcoming December update has sent the community into a frenzy after resourceful Pokemon aficionados discovered the presence of Generation 2 Pokemon buried within the code of the game’s most recent patch. While the arrival of the highly-anticipated Generation 2 monsters is all but certain, there is a pretty good chance that fans of the augmented reality game will need to wait a little bit longer to get a taste of the next 100 Pokemon that will be rolled out for the game.

Yes, for all intents and purposes, it would be wise not to count the chickens (or in this case, Pokemon eggs) before they are hatched. This is because Niantic has been very deliberate when it comes to the improvement of Pokemon GO. The updates the developer rolls out are very strategic, which could be seen in the gradual improvements that have been applied to the game, such as the introduction of the Buddy System and the recently-reported tweaking of Pokemon spawn times.

Back when the game was just released, Pokemon GO attracted numerous critics for being more of a novelty title, with great potential, but very little substance. Many criticized the game’s repetitive nature and its lack of features, as well as its departure from tried and tested tropes found in other Pokemon-themed games. After numerous updates, however, Niantic’s hit augmented reality title became far more polished, with several new features being added to the game. With player-vs-player battles and Pokemon trading seemingly set to be rolled out in the near future, Pokemon GO is slowly, but surely transforming itself into a refined mobile experience that stays true to the spirit of the franchise.

The recent Pokemon GO update has managed to excite fans of the mobile title, mainly due to a number of fans who discovered references to Generation 2 monsters within the game’s code. With the next 100 Pokemon already in the game’s code, numerous news pieces are speculating that the upcoming December update would most likely feature a rollout of the next batch of monsters. As much as it would be interesting to see Chikorita and the rest of the Gen 2 creatures in Pokemon GO by December, the chances of that happening are pretty slim.

This is because Pokemon GO‘s December update will most likely be headlined by the introduction of the Pokemon trading feature. References to Pokemon trading have been found in the game’s code for months, and it would make perfect sense for Niantic to roll out the new feature as a way to end 2016 on a high note. The absence of Pokemon trading has always been one of Pokemon GO‘s biggest flaws. Thus, introducing it to the game by the end of the year would be a sound strategy for Niantic.

After all, the introduction of Pokemon trading is just the tip of the iceberg. Player-vs-player battles and the introduction of Pokemon breeding are still features that are waiting to be released. With Niantic still polishing the gaming experience of Pokemon GO, introducing 100 new monsters into the mobile title makes little sense. Simply put, there is no doubt that Generation 2 monsters will be coming to Pokemon GO. They just won’t be coming to the game this early.

Another factor that makes the December rollout for Generation 2 monsters unlikely is the simple fact that Generation 1 monsters have not been fully released into the game as of yet. Currently, the Legendary Gen 1 Pokemon – Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Mew, and Mewtwo – as well as the shapeshifting Pokemon Ditto, have not made an official appearance in the game. Considering that the introduction of Legendaries would most likely be a massive event among Pokemon GO players, Niantic would most likely opt to roll out the full Generation 1 lineup before introducing Generation 2 Pokemon into the game.

Pokemon GO has always held promise as a mobile title. With a very interesting and novel approach to the Pokemon franchise, it has the potential to be a massive hit. While its player base and number of active users have been on the decline for a while now, Niantic’s constant improvements to the game, coupled with the introduction of well-loved features from classic Pokemon titles, have the capability to make the game into a very compelling title that can both attract and hold the interest of players. The rollout of Generation 2 monsters would definitely make the game more compelling, but with regards to the Pokemon GO December update, news of the next 100 creatures being released in the game should be taken with a massive grain of salt.

[Featured Image by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images]