Is Pokémon GO Still Worth Playing In 2024?

There have undoubtedly been many frustrations in playing Pokémon GO over the years, and as it grows older people may wonder if there is enough content to still make it worth playing. The mobile game is now over eight years old, and its player base has seen plenty of ups and downs in that time. Nevertheless, it is important to be objective when considering precisely how much entertainment value Pokémon GO still has in 2024, and whether it is worth continuing to invest time in it moving forward.

Of course, the core gameplay of Pokémon GO is still undoubtedly the basis of its appeal. Players traverse the real world in order to visit PokéStops, catch Pokémon, and engage in battles. However, in order to remain relevant, there also needs to be a regular supply of fresh content to interest long-time players, more than just the challenge of obtaining those Pokémon that are hardest to catch. Such innovation must be carefully planned, as the many Pokémon GO changes which have caused controversy prove, but the game is at least undoubtedly capable of presenting new ideas.

Pokémon GO Saw Numerous Updates In 2024

A Troubled Dynamax Launch Has Followed Quality Of Life Improvements

One of the most recent major changes to note in 2024 is Pokémon GO ’s new Max Battles, Raids which finally introduce Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokemon. Although reception has been mixed regarding their difficulty, the adaptation of Pokémon Sword and Shield ’s core mechanic is undeniable proof that Pokémon GO is continuing to expand its scope to appeal to both old and new players. However, Dynamaxing is far from the only major development to emerge in recent months. In reality, the new feature has been accompanied by plenty of other new content for players to enjoy.

Naturally, Pokémon GO does continue to release new raids beyond those featuring Galar’s signature enormous Pokémon. These other raids provide regular opportunities to capture Legendaries, Mega Pokémon, and more, ensuring that there are always tough challenges to face for experienced players. Other new features include Party Share, which allows Trainers to share items (specifically Incense, Lucky Eggs, and Star pieces) with party members via Party Play. This allows people to give each other a helping hand when needed, with no limit on how often players benefit from these shared items.

Although there is no limit on using shared items received from Party Share, each individual type of item can only be shared four times every day, and the item’s efficacy will also be halved.

There have been a myriad of smaller changes to the game in 2024 as well, from the introduction of Gift cards and new PokéStops to the Go Snapshot feature being adjusted to accommodate a new maximum of three Pokémon at once. These show that despite Niantic’s missteps, the developers are consistently working to improve the accessibility and quality of Pokémon GO. Of course, this can only be seen as a positive sign for the game’s future, suggesting improvements both big and small will continue to be introduced.

Did Pokémon GO Add New Pokémon This Year

The Game Consistently Adds New Pokémon On A Regular Basis

As a major part of the core gameplay loop, new Pokémon to obtain are always a significant draw for all Pokémon GO players. Fortunately, the game has continued to release both entirely new species and alternate forms on a regular basis including Shinies. Prominent examples of recent additions to Pokémon GO include Morpeko, whose Full Belly and Hangry Modes also introduced mid-battle form changes to the game. Naturally, the Two-Sided Pokémon’s debut complimented the current focus on Galar, as did the long-awaited introduction of the Galarian Starter trio.

Grookey, Sobble, and Scorbunny’s arrival in Pokémon GO has itself been long overdue, especially considering that their Paldean successors debuted in the mobile game almost exactly a year before them. In fact, plenty of Generation 9 Pokémon have also debuted in Pokémon GO before the most iconic Generation 8 starters, such as Wigglet and Tendemaus. In any case, new species and Forms from both these Generations and Gen 7 have continued to be added to Pokémon GO, including Origin Forme Dialga and Palkia as well as Poipole and even Necrozma.

Of course, it is worth noting that the rollout of new Pokémon to Pokémon GO is relatively slow-paced. Typically only a few new species are introduced each month, meaning that it could be a very long time before a particularly unlucky player’s favorite Pokémon is actually available in the mobile game. On the other hand, this does arguably provide people with plenty of time to hunt down the new additions without being overwhelmed, and it cannot be denied that this constant trickle of new Pokémon does provide an incentive for people to continue playing over time.

Pokémon GO Is Worth Playing In 2024 & 2025

Both New And Probable Future Content Maintain Its Appeal

Although Pokémon GO isn’t perfect, it cannot be denied that the game is only continuing to grow as time goes on. 2024 has seen the advent of Dynamax Pokémon, which will continue to be a prominent part of the game going forward, but there is still plenty of content from the core games that Pokémon GO can draw on and adapt. For example, neither Paradox Pokémon nor Terastallization have made their way to the game as of yet, and either would be a perfect major addition to next year’s development cycle.

Pokémon GO
is very much still a game that is worth playing.

Even if Pokémon GO’s implementation of new features can come with problems, such as the new Gigantamax battles being notoriously difficult, Niantic does work to resolve these issues when they arise. And regardless of any issues with new features, the fact remains that the game has enormous gameplay value for new players. Moreover, continuous additions mean that long-term players always have more to look forward to as well. As a result, Pokémon GO will undoubtedly continue to be worth playing, especially for those who have already invested large amounts of time in the game.

It can be frustrating at times to play Pokémon GO, but at the end of the day it remains an engaging experience at its core. In addition to the constant addition of new Pokémon, 2024 has seen new features both big and small being added to the title. 2025 likewise holds great promise; new Pokémon will naturally continue to be released, and there are clear ways for the game to develop further with adaptations of Paldea’s signature gimmicks. As such, it is clear that Pokémon GO is very much still a game that is worth playing.

Source: Pokémon GO/YouTube