Niantic is introducing a Battle League leaderboard to coronavirus pandemic.
Pokémon Go almost entirely relies on trainers going outside and exploring their local environment. After all, this is the only way to catch new creatures, hatch eggs, and gather additional items. The game also has many social features which require meeting up with others in order to compete in events, such as Raids or Community Days. However, with much of the world under lockdown, Niantic has had to change the way the app operates in order to make Pokemon Go remain playable as s stay at home during the crisis.
The studio announced the addition of leaderboards on the official Twitter page for Pokémon Go. According to Niantic, it will track all activity in Battle Leagues and highlight the very best players from around the world. Only the top 500 trainers will be included in the leaderboard and it will reset each day, taking into the previous day's ratings. Anyone who has a trainer rank of at least seven will be eligible to make it onto the leaderboard.
Despite the fact that the vast majority of players are unable to leave their homes, Pokémon Go has remained immensely popular and has even seen an increase in activity over the last few weeks. Niantic has launched a number of features to allow players to enjoy the game without the need to venture outside as normal. This includes a completely reworked version of Raid Battles that allows players to team up with friends from the comfort of your home. The company has also released special item bundles, giving players the chance to purchase large numbers of Pokéballs at a heavily discounted price.
Pokémon Go's ability to continue to be functional during the coronavirus pandemic is a testament to the developer's hard work and adaptability. With lockdowns likely to continue for some time, games like Pokémon Go provide a welcome distraction and help ensure players remain inside. Niantic has already made several important changes to the title and is likely to continue pushing out updates and new features to keep the game relevant during the crisis.
Source: Pokémon Go/Twitter
