Players will create their content with Pokémon Go Routes, earning rewards for exploration

Niantic is finally introducing Routes in Pokémon Go, giving users a way to produce original content, trace the footsteps of others around the globe, and earn rewards in the process. Since the inception of Pokémon Go, fans have called for personalized content like Routes, which has been the subject of years of rumors and data mining backend data.

Pokémon Go needs to keep creating and releasing engaging gameplay to keep its live service thriving, especially in light of recent criticism, according to Niantic, which is closely monitoring the market. If you need more information about Players who will create their content with Pokémon Go Routes, earning rewards for exploration, then read carefully, and don’t forget to share with your friends.

Players will create their content with Pokémon Go Routes, earning rewards for exploration:

 While catching Pokémon will always be the primary goal of the game, Niantic’s push to encourage players to venture outside and explore their surroundings is a major factor in how new content can be created to keep the community interested.

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Pokémon Go players can record their walking routes and share them with other trainers around the world using routes, a type of generated content. Trainers will be able to do this using “geodata objects,” which Niantic claims will be available to them as they travel the globe and share their experiences while gaining advantages in the game.

“If you’re walking around a new area, there’s a huge difference between exploring on your own and having somebody there for you like a guide that can take you to areas you may not know about,” said Pokémon Go senior producer Chad Jones to Dot Esports. “Magical moments, secret gardens, hidden staircases, cool art murals that are in back alleys, [stuff] you wouldn’t know about unless somebody showed you. With Routes, you’re going to be able to share that knowledge and access it by following the footsteps of fellow trainers.”

Conceptually, the Routes feature in Pokémon Go is seen as a way to elevate exploration and give the community a way to travel together with “insider knowledge” from those who are familiar with the Routes they are sharing, according to the developers.

You can even start and end a Route using the same PokéStop, something Niantic made sure to include to better support rural Pokémon Go communities. Each Route will have a start and end point that is focused on geodata objects like a PokéStop.

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“GPS breadcrumbs” that are generated as you walk will be transformed into the trail once the process of recording a route has begun. Once a Route has been saved, players can add tags and descriptions before submitting it for review. If it is accepted, bonuses will be applied to the path, and a new tab will open up with the Route discoverable from the Nearby menu.

Moderators review each submitted Route and cross-reference it with Niantic’s database to look for things like potentially hazardous areas, restricted zones, and more. The aim is to approve or scrap a submission within 24 hours. Human moderators will examine the Routes through a satellite view and further evaluate them on factors like spam filters or odd descriptions. Players can continue using Pokémon Go as they normally would while traveling along a chosen Route, having full access to the game at all times.

The people creating the paths can also choose if other players can follow it from either end or only begin from the starting point. Those creators can also choose to include their trainer name or remain anonymous while tagging the Route for things like wheelchair accessibility, crowded locations, and more. 

“The idea is that there are Pokémon you’re able to catch along Routes, so there’s that benefit, [and] you’re getting the buffs that are applied to you as well,” Jones said. “It becomes a very good source of XP. So again, like you’re in a rural area, walking around, and you need better sources of XP, Routes become something that can hopefully become fundamental to the gameplay in a way that elevates it for various communities.”

Pokémon encounters, passive bonuses, and XP rewards were all mentioned, though Niantic declined to comment on the specifics of what players will receive while traveling a Route. No release date was given for Routes or PokéStop Showcases, the other new feature demonstrated at Summer Game Fest. Closer to the time they start rolling out, more information will be disclosed.

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