5 things to look forward to in Pokemon GO's April 2024 revamp

Major highlights from Pokemon GO April 2024 revamp
Pokemon GO's April 2024 revamp promises quite a few in-game improvements (Image via Niantic)

Pokemon GO is receiving a new-look revamp beginning on April 17, 2024, and Niantic has announced it with a trailer titled "It's Time to #RediscoverGO." While the developer is set to roll out new information on this update on April 17 and April 22 as well as on May 5, 2024, the trailer gives players some insight into what to expect from this revival.

From updated visuals to new photography options and avatar customizations, Pokemon GO's #RediscoverGO trailer makes many promises to refresh the overall gameplay experience.

With that in mind, it doesn't hurt to cover some of the best upcoming features of the April 2024 revamp from what Niantic has released so far.


5 features to look forward to from Pokemon GO's April 2024 revamp

1) Updated world visuals

Pokemon GO's game world visuals are being updated in the April 2024 revamp (Image via Niantic)
Pokemon GO's game world visuals are being updated in the April 2024 revamp (Image via Niantic)

Though it has been forecasted for a while in Pokemon GO testing circles, the April 2024 revamp promises a new look to the world map and encounter/catch screens that include a player's surroundings outside of AR Mode. This means that as trainers roam the map and catch Pokemon, they can see different biomes in the background, from forests to cities, mountains, and beyond.

Compared to the drab green overworld screen and grassy clearing encounter screen seen in GO's original gameplay visuals, adding real-world biomes and more believable environments should make the gameplay experience a bit more immersive and visually satisfying.


2) New avatar visuals and customizations

Pokemon GO players can rediscover their in-game avatar in the April 2024 revamp (Image via Niantic)
Pokemon GO players can rediscover their in-game avatar in the April 2024 revamp (Image via Niantic)

According to Niantic's announcement, Pokemon GO's April 2024 revamp will provide updated visuals to in-game player avatars. Additionally, the in-game Style Shop is receiving improvements to provide more avatar customization than before. This has been a long time coming, as Niantic's mobile title has long been criticized for having limited character customization outside of in-game clothing.

Admittedly, players weren't impressed with the updated trainer visuals shown while this GO graphical update was being tested. However, adding more customization for avatars (whether it be by way of character customization or clothing) should please more than a few fans who have grown tired of the stock trainer bodies and facial features that have existed in the game since 2016.


3) The "Rediscover Kanto" experience

The Kanto region and its Pokemon are featuring heavily in Pokemon GO's April 2024 revamp (Image via Niantic)
The Kanto region and its Pokemon are featuring heavily in Pokemon GO's April 2024 revamp (Image via Niantic)

Though Niantic didn't confirm exactly what the "Rediscover Kanto" portion of the Pokemon GO April 2024 revamp really meant, Generation I Pocket Monsters from the Kanto region were featured throughout the #RediscoverGO trailer.

However, given Kanto Pokemon's enduring popularity for old and new fans alike, it's safe to assume that they'll be playing a major part in the April 2024 revamp in some form.

Whether this means a new Kanto-based event is on the horizon or that Pokemon from the region will be heavily featured in the new world map changes, the prospect of some of the most beloved creatures in the game returning is a positive one.


4) New photography gameplay

Pokemon GO's AR photography is being improved in the April 2024 revamp (Image via Niantic)
Pokemon GO's AR photography is being improved in the April 2024 revamp (Image via Niantic)

Although it wasn't displayed in the #RediscoverGO trailer, Niantic confirmed on the announcement page of its Pokemon GO website that AR photography will be improved in the April 2024 revamp. According to the announcement page, trainers will now be able to take pictures of up to three Pokemon in a single snapshot, though other improvements are likely on the way as well.

"Plus, take your Pokémon photography to new heights with our updated GO Snapshot experience, which now allows you to include up to three Pokémon in a single photo!" - Niantic, April 15, 2024

Adding more simultaneous Pokemon and gameplay improvements to AR photography should give trainers who love capturing snapshots even more incentive to explore their world and fine-tune their ability to take the perfect picture of their favorite Pocket Monsters.


5) Improved augmented reality

The Buddy system and other AR gameplay should be getting improvements in the April 2024 revamp (Image via Niantic)
The Buddy system and other AR gameplay should be getting improvements in the April 2024 revamp (Image via Niantic)

As the final part of the revamp rollout, Niantic has pointed to a "Rediscover Your Reality" feature. More details are forthcoming, but it's likely that this points to an improvement in Pokemon GO's augmented reality gameplay.

Niantic has already been altering the functionality of AR over the past few weeks, so the "Rediscover Your Reality" may very well be the fruition of the overhaul efforts.

In addition to improving Buddy Pokemon AR by adding new ways to interact with buddies, other aspects of the game's AR could also be renovated. This may give players who have mostly ignored in-game AR a real reason to try it out and use it more often.

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