Level 50 is coming to Pokemon Go, developer teases new details

We knew Level 50 was coming to Pokemon Go sooner or later, but now one Niantic developer has teased more fascinating details.

For those of you thinking it would simply mean getting more XP, well it’s to time to rethink that. Matt Slemon, the lead Product Manager for Pokemon Go, recently discussed a range of Pokemon Go topics including the new level cap.

“It’s not going to be as simple as just grinding XP through the ways you might be used to,” Slemon revealed. This suggests new requirements which will change the way leveling up works.

The development team doesn’t want to introduce the new level cap and trainers who already meet the requirements get given their new level. “We don’t want to the level cap to increase and then all of a sudden people just sort of get set to their new level and that’s sort of the end of it.”

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The idea behind this is to keep challenging trainers and give them a new experience post Level 40. “We do want the experience to feel a little bit different past Level 40 than it has up to Level 40.”

Slemon clarified that getting to Level 41 and above will still require effort. This is because Pokemon Go levels are intended to display how much effort you have put into the game.

Level 41 and beyond

While explicit details weren’t revealed, we can guess what the new leveling requirements in the mobile game may look like. If it isn’t going to be based on XP, or at least solely so, than other skill based factors will have to come into it.

This could include any or more of the following:

• How many Pokemon you have caught
• How full your Pokedex is
• Number of excellent throws
• How many Raid Battles you have won/participated in
• Reaching a certain Rank in GO Battle League a certain number of times

Release date

We still don’t know when Level 50 is coming to Pokemon Go but Slemon did say that they are excited to reveal more details about it later this year. That suggests we may get in the later stages of 2020 or may have to wait until early 2021.

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Whenever it does come, it seems trainers will be thrilled to attack the new challenge. Level 40 is already difficult to attain so there’s little doubt reaching Level 50 will be reserved for the very best Pokemon Go trainers.