Pokémon Go Level Revamp Raises Cap, Rebalances System

• A higher level cap is coming to Pokémon Go in October, raising the maximum from 50 to 80.
• This is a comprehensive rebalancing of the entire leveling system, not simply adding thirty new levels.
• Trainers can look forward to new rewards and a more frequent leveling experience.

Next year marks Pokémon Go's tenth anniversary, a significant milestone in the mobile gaming landscape. Its enduring success is largely thanks to continuous, smart updates that keep the experience engaging. While new features are important, refining core mechanics is equally crucial—a philosophy Niantic clearly embraces with its newly announced Level Revamp update.

Scheduled for October 15th, the Leveling Update will increase the level cap from 50 to 80. The goal is to make the process of leveling up more frequent and rewarding, a change many trainers will welcome. Having recently reached level 42 myself, I was facing a long grind before seeing level 43 under the current system.

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As you may have guessed, this isn't just about adding levels on top. The entire leveling progression from 1 to 50 is being recalibrated for the new 1 to 80 scale. As part of this overhaul, the Level-Up Research tasks currently required for levels 41 to 50 will be relocated to levels 71 through 80. Furthermore, after reaching level 70 and beyond, trainers will have an increased chance of becoming Lucky Friends with their companions.

The benefits aren't reserved solely for high-level players. The update also includes increased storage capacity for Pokémon, items, and gifts. Starting at level 25, players can unlock additional avatar items, perfect for those who love customizing their trainer's style. I'm personally fond of my Gengar t-shirt and Sandygast hat and don't plan on changing them unless some appealing Chandelure gear appears.

You might be wondering, "If I'm already level 46, will this new system automatically boost my level?" The answer is yes. When the update goes live on October 15th, your level will be adjusted upward accordingly. Best of all, you'll instantly receive all the rewards for every level you skip past, so there's no need to worry about missing out. The exact amount each player will advance is expected to be detailed in early October.

To honor players' past achievements, Pokémon Go will award a special medal displaying the highest level attained by October 14th. Additionally, any trainer who has reached or will reach the prestigious level 50 will be granted an exclusive avatar pose. On the other hand, the Level 50 Jacket will be retired as a reward after the update, though players who have already earned it will get to keep theirs.

There's still a window to earn that jacket, as Niantic is hosting an event to help trainers push for level 50. The XP Celebration event begins today at 9 pm BST and runs until October 14th. During this period, players can earn significantly more XP, with all bonuses from other concurrent events stacking on top. The specific boosts include:

• Double XP for Nice, Great, and Excellent throws when catching Pokémon.
• An extra 3,000 XP for winning Raid battles.
• An additional 3,000 XP for winning trainer battles in the Go Battle League.

In another helpful change, the Level-Up Research for level 47 currently requires players to walk 25km in a week, eight separate times. Starting today, this requirement is reduced to just two instances, making this hurdle much easier to clear.

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To further assist, a special Timed Research will be available throughout the XP Celebration event. It presents a substantial challenge that takes time to complete, but the reward is a massive seven million XP. The only prerequisite is that you must be at least level 5 to participate, which is a quick milestone for new players to achieve.

Pokémon Go is available for free download on the App Store and Google Play, with optional in-app purchases. You can get the game for your preferred platform using the links below.