What are Catch Cards in Pokemon GO and how to use them

Niantic recently released a new social feature in Pokemon GO that's set to provide trainers with further options to showcase their catches to the community. Catch Cards are a new way for players to share their Pokemon with friends and other trainers.

The developers have done a commendable job at maintaining the hype and excitement around the popular AR game ever since its release more than half a decade ago in 2016. Be it through seasonal celebrations, debuts of iconic Pokemon, or refreshing events, Niantic has ensured that fans continue to play Pokemon GO.

So, what's the new social feature in Pokemon GO and how can players use it in-game?

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Everything you need to know about Catch Cards in Pokemon GO and how you can use it

Catch Cards are unique images that players can make of any pocket monster in their Pokemon Storage space. These cards contain a visually appealing picture of the critter chosen by players, the name or nickname of the Pokemon along with their Combat Power (CP) score, whether it was caught, where it was caught, the date, and the type of Poke Ball that was used to catch it.

While the picture of the Pokemon will be on top of a predetermined background, players can also choose to take an AR snapshot to give it more of a personal touch with their respective surroundings. After all, who wouldn't want the image of Snorlax lounging on a real-life bed on a Catch Card?

Interestingly, Pokemon will retain their shiny form and special costumes in their Catch Card image. This feature cannot be used on Pokemon that players have acquired through trading. Furthermore, trainers will be able to share the Catch Card of their most recently caught Pokemon on Niantic Campfire app, allowing other nearby players to hunt for it.

Readers will need to follow the steps listed below to generate Catch Cards for their favorite pocket monster:

• Launch Pokemon GO
• Click on the Poke Ball icon and navigate your way through to the Pokemon option
• Choose the Pokemon you wish to generate a Catch Card of
• Click on the three parallel bar symbol in the bottom left corner of the screen. This will show various different options
• You will notice the Catch Card option between Candy to Candy XL and Tag options
• Once you click on the Catch Card option, the game will generate the same for the Pokemon selected. You will have the option to take an AR snapshot.

That's all that players need to know to use the new social feature introduced by Niantic in Pokemon GO. This is a nifty mechanic that collates the basic available information of a caught Pokemon and allows trainers to share or flaunt it with others or on social media.

One criticism that has been made by the Pokemon GO community is that Catch Cards could have included the IV of the pocket monster in question as well. This addition would have made it a more rounded-off feature as it's a common query amongst Pokemon players. One hopes that Niantic will continue to update this mechanic down the line.