Pokemon GO Gets Mega Evolution With A Few Twists

It's almost impressive how Niantic Labs was able to quickly adapt to a new world where going out and walking around has become discouraged or even disallowed in some countries. That mechanic is, of course, the lifeblood of Pokemon GO but the game continues to have a strong and active following thanks to changes that made it possible to play indoors. With that crisis far behind it, Pokemon GO is moving forward with its next big features, including one literally big feature taken straight from the mainline game.

Mega Evolution brought a slight twist to the Pokemon game, introducing a temporary evolution mechanic in contrast to the franchise' well-known permanent evolution system. Not to be confused with Dynamax and Gigantamax, Mega Evolution drastically changes a Pokemon's form and imbues it with new abilities and, of course, higher stats.

Pokemon GO's implementation will, of course, differ from the games (or the animated series for that matter) to take into account the game's special circumstances. Instead of stones, Mega Evolution in Niantic Labs' world requires Mega Energy that can only be acquired in Raid Battles with Mega Evolved Pokemon, a.k.a. the new Mega Raids. Just like in the game, however, Mega Evolution is only temporary but the countdown is a lot slower, of course.

That means you can have a Mega-Evolved Pokemon even outside battles, which means you can use that Pokemon in even more battles and Raids. You can even make it your Buddy and take pictures with it. Unfortunately, you can have only Mega-Evolved Pokemon at a time and once you Mega Evolve another one, the other will instantly revert to its original form.

Pokemon GO is also rolling out Mega Evolution-themed items, assets, and events, like a Mega Bracelet for your avatar that's just for show. There will also be three weeks of Mega-themed events in September, each themed around a specific aspect of the new Mega Evolution update.