'Pokemon GO:' Special Trading Event Live With Huge Candy and XP Bonuses

If you're playing some Pokemon Go this weekend, it's the perfect time to do some trading. For the next couple of weeks, Niantic is hosting a special trading event that offers significant bonuses to all players! Here's the breakdown from the official update:

"Whether you're seeking a new Pokédex entry or awaiting the arrival of a Lucky Pokémon, you'll get a chance to enjoy special bonuses starting August 2 at 1:00 P.M. PDT. All trades—including Special Trades—will cost 25% less Stardust to complete! This lasts until August 19 at 9:00 P.M. PDT and applies to all friends, even brand-new ones."

But it's not just the discount you can look forward to. You'll also get some huge bonuses for trading and for filling out your Pokedex. Tons of extra candy is coming your way, and if you trade for a brand new Pokemon you've never registered in your Pokedex, you'll get massive XP bonus as well!

"You can earn more Candy during every trade—netting up to six Candies total. Plus, keep an eye out when you encounter a Pokémon not currently in your Pokédex, as you'll receive triple XP when you gain a new entry!"

We don't have a crystal ball, but we know one thing for sure: As soon as this article goes live on social, the comments section is going to be filled with people asking, "Do people seriously still play this game?" The answer is yes, it's still wildly popular, boasting more players now than it did in the crazy week following its launch when it took over the world. Events like this one mark the perfect time to jump in because you can acquire what you need to start trading soon, and you'll get some massive bonuses as long as you have friends willing to trade with you.

You can download Pokemon Go from the Google Play Store here, and the iTunes App Store here. The hook is simple, y'all. Go out into the real world and hunt down some Pokemon. You can also stop by various locations (like stores or landmarks) to collect rare and helpful items.

As you level up you'll start finding more powerful Pokemon to catch and train, and eventually you can start competing in high-stakes gym battles where strong Pokemon prove their mettle! There are also limited-time raids which bring huge groups of people to take on extremely powerful Pokemon. If you've never played, give it a whirl.