Switch Teams in Pokemon Go: Pokémon (short for pocket monster) is a franchise owned by Nintendo. It all started in the mid 90’s as a game for the Game Boy. The game is centered on fictional characters which are known as Pokémon and humans (Pokémon Trainers) who catch them and train them to battle each other. This Japanese franchise became well known for its unique graphics and cute characters.
What is Pokemon GO?
Pokémon Go is a smartphone app that combines the virtual gaming world with the real world. The game uses location tracking and mapping technology to create an ‘augmented reality’ where players catch and train Pokémon characters in real locations.
The popularity of this game is unmatched in the terms of the huge fan following it commands. One of the reasons for its popularity is it is free to download and very easy to play. For an entire generation of players, the game is nostalgic as Pokémon became a phenomenon in the late 90’s and early 2000’s.
This game also marks the first major entry of an augmented reality game into the mainstream. Young people, in particular, have been unanimously impressed by the gaming experience which overlays animated Pokémon characters into the real world.
How Does Pokemon Go Work?
Users have to first login to the game and walk around the real world. As the users go about the game, Pokémon characters appear on the game map.
When users come within a close enough range, the Pokémon will appear on the device screen and users throw Poké Balls at them to capture them. The purpose and motive of the game is to collect as many different characters as possible.
The map is also and advanced version of the real-time maps that we see. It is an anime-style version of google maps that changes the real street names and landmarks and replaces them with Pokémon specific buildings.
One more exciting feature of the game is Poké Stops which basically are real-life locations (Powered by tech labs by free slots central) where users are able to collect free Poké Balls (used to catch Pokémon). Players can also find Pokémon eggs that hatch into Pokémon characters and can be added to a user’s collection.
This game has taken virtual reality games to a whole new different level and has added a realistic dimension to it. One can enjoy the game with their families and communities by forming teams and being a part of a virtual gaming community. This is where the new feature comes into the picture.
The New Feature
Niantic and The Pokémon Company have finally allowed Pokémon Go players to change their team allegiance in a recent update to the mobile game. Starting Feb. 26, players can now purchase a new item called a Team Medallion, allowing them to switch to Team Mystic, Team Valor, or Team Instinct.
Here comes a feature we all have been asking for in Pokémon GO since the game first released! Switching Teams is now possible and it is as easy as it gets although it’s also as limited as we expected. Here is a detailed analysis of what you should know about this new feature. So let’s go deep into it!
Since the launch of Pokémon GO Team Instinct, we have all seen Team Mystic, and Team Valor battle with pride and determination. But if you were looking to switch sides and join a different team, the opportunity has arrived with the new Team Change feature.
Introduced on 26th February, this feature allows trainers to change teams once per year by purchasing a Team Medallion for 1,000 PokéCoins from the shop.
According to a post on the Pokemon Go website
“Any of your Pokemon that are in Gyms when you change teams will be returned with no PokéCoins earned once it’s defeated. You also can’t battle your own Pokémon, so if you return to a Gym one of your Pokémon is defending, your Pokémon will be returned to you with no PokéCoins earned.”
Any of your Pokémon in Gyms at the time you change teams will be returned with no earned PokéCoins once they’re defeated. You’ll also be unable to battle your own Pokémon, so if you return to a Gym that has your Pokemon defending it, your Pokémon will be returned to you with no earned PokéCoins.
Hence, the makers of the game have really thought it through and seen to it that all the repercussions of a new update are delicately handled and the essence of the game is not destroyed.
But Why Should One change teams?
The team one chooses in Pokémon GO is important in case you want to battle in Gyms. You need to have multiple people on the same team to successfully hold Gyms in Pokemon GO, to supply Pokémon and to help keep them boosted throughout the day.
Everyone in your family should be the same team to maximize the chances of holding Gyms easily.
The case with the majority of the players is something like below
When they first started Pokemon GO with hacks, there were no other players in their area so a family of three picked three different teams in order to control all of the Gyms nearby. As the game became more popular, however, that decision became an annoyance. The families couldn’t play together and were always opposing each other.
Now you and your family can finally be on the same team and use our levels to help each other complete tasks, conquer Gyms and be the very best!
Sounds great right! So let’s see the step-by-step procedure of how you can change teams in Pokémon GO.
How to Change Teams in Pokémon GO?
- Open Pokemon GO on your phone.
- Tap the Pokeball to open your menu.
- Tap the Shop icon to go further and open up the shop.
- Scroll down to the Team Change section in the shop and tap the Team Medallion.
- Tap exchange to exchange the 1000 coins needed to buy the Team Medallion. You may need to purchase coins, which you can do with an in-app purchase if you don’t have enough. An iTunes gift card can help.
- Navigate to your Items menu to find the Team Medallion you just purchased.
- Tap on the Team Medallion in your items list. You will get a warning saying this can only be done once every 365 days.
- Tap OK if you are certain you want to change your team.
- You will now see all three team leaders on the screen. Tap the team leader whose team you want to be on. Make sure you don’t choose the team you are already on!
- You will see another 365-day warning; tap OK to finish your team change.
And that’s all. Yes, it’s that easy. You are now a new team &you can finally work with others in your community to be the very best trainers you can be.
Great deals to get coins
This is still a great deal to process at once. For a start, you have to have 1000 coins to get the medallion. That’s $10 worth of coins, so it’s not that straight forward.
Now you can get those coins from playing. If you need to buy some more coins through an in-app purchase, you can grab an iTunes card from Amazon. However, they oftentimes go on sale, which saves you a bit of money in the long run!
One can only use the medallion only once every 365 days. This is smart on Niantic’s part, as it stops people from switching teams on a whim or trying to maximize their gold intake from gyms. This way, you will be playing with your chosen team for a whole year before you can change back.
It’s a significant choice to change teams and the consequences should reflect that. Hence, this is a sensible constraint.
This was awaited update for Pokémon GO players as it will boost the sense of community among the players. While Team Medallions may be limited, the option to switch teams is a welcome feature for players who may have pledged their allegiance to a team during the game’s launch but may now find themselves raiding with friends on a different team.
Pokemon Go is still in its initial stages as a game and a lot of updates are expected to be inculcated further into this game to give users even better gaming experience. This new update allows the users to Switch Teams in Pokemon Go albeit once a year, is a welcome step.
Conclusion
This will surely go a long way in establishing the authority of the game in between the new generation of the players and will set a benchmark for the future of augmented reality games.
Battle hard and good luck with your new team!
Let us know in comments how you feel about the team changes. Is it a good thing? Do you think it’s too expensive?
