Pokémon GO Gyms updated, cooperative mode being added soon

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Niantic and The Pokémon Company have detailed some of the changes heading to Pokémon GO in the latest update, which began rolling out to users earlier today.

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by Liam Andrews

​@pass_controller

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Starting today, Pokémon GO players will find some new features when visiting Gyms, which Niantic hope will make keeping hold of them for your team a more collaborative effort. A team that controls a Gym will now be able to defend it with up to six Pokémon, with attacking teams facing them in the order they were assigned to the Gym

A new motivation system means defending Pokémon will now lose Combat Power (CP) “over time and as they are defeated”, according to Niantic, but this can be prevented by teammates giving defending Pokémon some Berries.
 
Players can also earn Gym Badges which can be levelled up to earn rewards and bonuses, and, much like PokéStops, Gyms will now feature a spinning photo disc that dispenses unique items.
 
The second part of the update, which adds cooperative elements to the game, did not get a specific launch window, with Niantic only stating that the new co-op features would be introduced in the coming weeks. Raid Battles are “timed in-game events that will temporarily take over a Gym”, allowing trainers to team up and take down “extremely powerful” Pokémon called Raid Bosses.
 
Taking part in Raid Battles gives players the opportunity to earn special new items and potentially catch the powerful Pokémon, while those who want to play with specific friends can set up their own Private Raid groups by using a special code system.
 
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