5 major differences in Pokemon GO between 2024 and when it was launched

Pokemon GO has seen many changes since its initial debut in July 2016. Originally released on a small scale, the title quickly exploded in popularity during its infancy, leading to Niantic drastically increasing content updates in an attempt to maintain the high player numbers.

With the game being eight years old as of writing, many veteran players are feeling nostalgic for the old days of legacy Pokemon GO, when the game was much more simple and accessible. As such, it can be fun to look back on the older stages of the game to highlight five of the most drastic changes made to the game over its life.

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5 biggest changes made to Pokemon GO since its launch

1) Mega Evolution

Mega Evolutions are temporary power-ups given to monsters in exchange for Mega Energy (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Introduced in the sixth generation of the main series, Mega Evolutions are temporary forms certain monsters can take before challenging gym battles, Raid Battles, and fights against Giovanni of Team GO Rocket. These forms also feature an increase in a creature's stat spread, often a new typing, and a new design.

Debuting in Pokemon GO in August 2020, Mega Evolutions have now become a staple part of the mobile game's experience. This is not only due to these forms being beloved in the main series and powerful in the spin-off title, but also because of the game's most difficult tier of commonly available fights, Mega Raids, which put a team of players against a Mega-Evolved Raid Boss.

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2) Community Days

Community Days are monthly celebrations that occur on Pokemon GO servers (Image via Niantic)

With the first rendition of this event taking place in January 2018, Community Days have become a monthly occurrence ever since. These events focus on one particular creature and its evolution line.

The event grants them a new move, while also increasing the base form's spawn rate and the chance of appearing in its shiny variant.

These celebrations have something for every type of player, whether it be hardcore battlers looking for a new creature to try in competitive battles or casual players who want to find a Shiny Pokemon. These events have also started including research tasks that can reward players with encounters featuring the evolutionary family the event revolves around.

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3) Dynamax

Dynamax is an upcoming feature coming to Pokemon GO (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Though not yet in the game at the time of writing, Dynamax is another gimmick from the main series set to make its debut in the mobile game. Debuting in the eighth generation of the franchise, Dynamaxing increases a creature's size and offensive abilities for three turns of a battle.

Not much is yet known about how Dynamax will be handled in Pokemon GO, but many fans of the franchise never imagined Niantic would think of adding Dynamax into the mobile game, especially considering how differently it functions compared to Mega Evolution.

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4) Team GO Rocket

Team GO Rocket serves as the evil team for Pokemon GO, using Shadow Pokemon to do their bidding (Image via Niantic)

Much like the main series, Pokemon GO is also plagued by an evil team that threatens the player in their goal to complete the Pokedex. Similar to the Team Rocket from the main series of games and the anime, Team GO Rocket is led by Giovanni, who can be battled to earn an encounter with a powerful Legendary Pokemon.

This version of Team Rocket also sports a new set of admins who will occasionally challenge the player to a battle. Members of Team GO Rocket can be found at marked Pokestops, or can be encountered by interacting with the hot air balloon that occasionally appears over the player's avatar.

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5) Shadow Pokemon

Shadow Pokemon are variants of creatures that are much stronger but have less defense to compensate (Image via Niantic)

Shadow Pokemon debuted in Pokemon Colosseum, a side game for the Gamecube that came out in the third generation of the franchise. While many older fans may have thought Game Freak left this obscure variant behind, they have been given a new life in Pokemon GO.

Players can obtain these creatures by taking down members of Team GO Rocket. An encounter with a Shadow Pokemon is the reward for defeating any member of the organization. These variants feature an exclusive bonus that increases the monster's damage output by 20% but lowers their defense by 10%.

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For more information on Pokemon GO, check out our other articles:

• Where are Pokemon World Championships 2025 and 2026 taking place?
• Pokemon GO Triumph Together: Exploring the shiny odds of every spotlighted Pocket Monster
• 5 rare Pokemon to catch at Pokemon GO Triumph Together