Pokemon Go has announced a new item that will be added later this month, and it’s one that comes directly from the mainline games. The item in question is a Gold Bottle Cap, which will allow players to use Hyper Training to improve a Pokemon’s stats. The item will only work with Pokemon that players have achieved Great Buddy status with, and players will have to complete tasks as they work to improve the specific stats they’re attempting to raise. Gold Bottle Caps could end up being an exciting addition as a result, but there are some pretty big catches attached.
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According to Niantic, the Gold Bottle Cap will be offered to those that purchase the Go Pass Deluxe: Ancients Recovered for $19.99. That will be made available in the game on Monday, June 23rd at 10 a.m., through Sunday, June 29th at 6 p.m. local time. In addition to getting a Gold Bottle Cap, the new Go Pass Deluxe will include new avatar items based on Zacian and Zamazenta, two Legendary Pokemon that are getting a big focus during this year’s Pokemon Go Fest. Other bonuses include an Incubator, a Lucky Egg, Incense, and Lure Modules.
For players that put a lot of effort into searching out Pokemon with perfect stats in Pokemon Go, this workaround could end up being a pretty big deal. Once obtained, players will also have a short window to use the Gold Bottle Cap; it will expire on July 6th at 11:59 p.m. local time. After redemption, players will have 365 days to complete the Hyper Training tasks. For HP, players will have to explore with the trainee as a Buddy Pokemon. For Attack, players will have to complete tasks like participating in battles while the trainee is the Buddy Pokemon. Lastly, Defense will have associated tasks such as playing together and catching Pokemon.
Generally speaking, Gold Bottle Caps are not easy to come by in the mainline Pokemon games, so it makes sense that Pokemon Go has similarly made them uncommon. Some players will likely take issue with the fact that there’s basically a pay wall to get a Gold Bottle Cap at the moment, but it’s possible we could see them made available in other ways in the future. Those that don’t plan to purchase the Go Pass Deluxe can take advantage of the free Go Pass, instead. While it won’t give players a Gold Bottle Cap, the standard Go Pass will have other rewards to look forward to that same day. All players will receive a random encounter with either Regirock, Regice, Registeel, Regieleki, or Regidrago. Regardless of which one players receive, it will have a special background. Players will also receive encounters with the new “dapper” Pikachu costumed design, and they’ll get items like Poke Balls, Stardust, Candy, and XP.
Monetization in Pokemon Go has long been a topic of controversy. While Pokemon Go can be enjoyed completely for free, there are a lot of ways to spend money. In fact, on the same day that the Go Pass Deluxe goes on sale, Niantic will also be offering Timed Research for a guaranteed encounter with one of the Galarian Legendary Birds. There’s a lot of ways to drop cash in Pokemon Go, so players will have to think carefully about which extras are worth paying for, including the new Go Pass Deluxe.
Do you plan on upgrading to the Go Pass Deluxe next week? How do you feel about monetization in Pokemon Go? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
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