A few days ago, reports circulated that Niantic was going to announce updates on various Pokemon GO features sometime this week. However, it appears as though the studio is too busy with its recently launched Global Catch Challenge, as news on those feature updates isn't expected for a few more days now.
In a post on Reddit, Niantic simply stated, "We still have more information to share about upcoming feature changes, but it may be a few more days. Stay tuned." Niantic didn't provide a reason as to why it delayed the information on Pokemon GO feature updates, but as previously stated, it may have to do with the Global Catch Challenge.
For the uninitiated, the Global Catch Challenge is an in-game event running in Pokemon GO from now until November 26th. For this global event, Pokemon GO players are being challenged to catch 3 billion Pokemon, and if they do, they will unlock rewards for everyone playing the game worldwide.
As those currently participating in Pokemon GO's Global Catch Challenge already know, there are three tiers of unlocks for players to pursue. Pokemon GO enthusiasts have managed to catch over 500 million Pokemon since the event launched, unlocking the bronze tier of rewards in the process. Once players have caught 1.5 billion Pokemon, they will unlock the silver tier, and 3 billion unlocks the gold tier. The gold tier is the most interesting, as it will give players outside of Asia the chance to catch the region-exclusive Pokemon Farfetch'd, and it will give those in Asia the opportunity to catch a Kangaskhan.
Unfortunately for Pokemon GO players hoping to get their hands on region-exclusive Pokemon, the Global Catch Challenge is off to a slow start. At the rate it's currently going, it seems unlikely that Pokemon GO fans will reach the 3 billion goal, which is not all that surprising considering how the game has dipped in popularity.
In fact, many players have reported feeling discouraged with the Pokemon GO experience, and have been venting their frustrations online. Part of the reason why fans are quitting Pokemon GO is due to a lack of new features or content updates like Pokemon trading and PvP battles, so perhaps if Niantic didn't delay the news, more people would be interested in the Global Catch Challenge.
Pokemon GO is available now for iOS and Android mobile devices.
Source: Reddit