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Niantic CEO reveals 'Pokémon Go' team leaders, talks fixes at San Diego Comic-Con

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Image used with permission by copyright holder
Over the last few weeks, Pokémon Go has become the biggest talking point in the video game industry. Despite the popularity of the brand, few could have predicted just how impassioned the response to the app would be — and that’s why its slot at Comic-Con over the weekend had to be upgraded to the expansive setting of Hall H.

In the end, developer Niantic had plenty of space to address the legions of Pokémon trainers in attendance. The company’s CEO, John Hanke, was on hand to discuss where the game is headed in the immediate future.

First things first, the studio is well aware of the problems plaguing players, and is working hard to rectify them. Server stability is the top priority, but other issues are also set to be fixed, including the game’s currently broken Pokémon tracking system.

Once that kind of work is complete, it seems that Niantic will go full speed ahead on introducing new features. The studio apparently expects to support the game for months and years, with a breeding system, more Pokéstop functionality, and monsters from beyond the original 151 all possible additions for the future. A method of trading Pokémon with your friends is in development right now.

Hanke also named the leaders of the three rival teams currently vying for control of gyms around the world; Candela is at the helm of Team Valor, Blanche heads up Team Mystic, and Spark takes the reins of Team Instinct. These characters will apparently play a role in the game going forward.

Indeed, there might be more content hiding away in Pokémon Go than even the most dedicated players know about, according to a report from IGN. Hanke teased that trainers might not have found every Easter egg included in the game, making reference to the recently discovered technique of controlling Eevee’s evolutions with stipulated nicknames.

Pokémon Go is already a big hit, but it will need continued support to maintain its popularity. Thankfully, it seems that Niantic is well aware of the necessary steps to ensure that the game isn’t just a flash in the pan.

Brad Jones
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…
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