In the Psychic Spectacular event, Season of Mischief, which introduced Mythical Pokémon Hoopa to Pokémon GO on September 1st.
Not all updates to Pokémon GO have been new content. The game recently fell into some controversy for announcing its intention to roll back certain gameplay mechanics that made it easier to play from home during COVID-19 lockdowns. Chief amongst these was the distance at which players could interact with PokéStops and Gyms. During lockdown, this distance was increased from 40 meters to 80, so that players could still interact with these important locations without having to walk to them and expose themselves unnecessarily to COVID-19. When Niantic decided to revert the distance, it was met with outcry from fans. In response to these complaints, Pokémon GO has retained the 80-meter PokéStop distance and created a task force to investigate player concerns.
In the midst of this controversy, the game continues to receive new content. datamine indicating Malamar's inclusion in Pokémon GO back in March. In addition to these newcomers, psychic-type Pokémon will appear more commonly in the wild and in raids. Additionally, the next installment in the Season of Mischief research storyline will arrive, offering more insight into the mischievous Hoopa.
Pokémon GO is no stranger to events like this. Following a launch in 2016 which was culturally impactful but light on content, the mobile game has retained its player base through regular updates, along with less flashy changes like bug fixes and patches. This live service methodology can be seen in Niantic's response to concerns from Pokémon GO players over the recent lockdown changes, as well as content additions like the inclusion of Inkay and Malamar.
The Pokémon franchise has two major releases ahead of it in the form of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl and Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which are releasing in November 2021 and January 2022 respectively. These titles will likely provide Pokémon GO with many more opportunities for new content additions like this month's Psychic Spectacular and give fans ample reason to return to the game.
Pokémon GO is able for iOS and Android devices.
Source: Pokémon GO, Pokémon GO/Twitter
