We've already waxed lyrical about the downfall of Pokemon GO, but it seems like Niantic Labs isn't ready to give up the ghost on the game just yet.
A splashy new video debuted online today that confirms long-held rumours that Pokemon GO is getting a pretty big expansion. According to Niantic Labs, more than 80 Pokemon have been added to the game's roster, many of which people will remember from Pokemon Gold and Silver. As well as this, there'll be gender-specific variations on certain Pokemon and there'll be new evolutions for Pokemon as well.
The encounter system with Pokemon has also been updated, with players now able to select berries and Pokeballs from that screen. There's also new berries available as well, such as a Nanab berry, which slows the movement of a Pokemon and makes them easier to catch. Meanwhile, the avatar system is also being expanded with more wardrobe items and avatar selections being made available for players.
So, the question remains, is anyone actually playing Pokemon GO anymore? Evidently, there's still a hardcore group of players out there who are still addicted and still wandering the streets to pick up Pokemon. However, it's telling that Niantic Labs have left it so long to give these much-needed updates.
While official numbers are hard to come by, the last available figures posited that approximately 500 million downloads have taken place since its launch in July. The reality is, of course, is that many people deleted the app after a couple of weeks or months and never reinstalled it. In fact, a cursory glance at Ireland's iOS App Store Free App ranking doesn't even place Pokemon GO in the top 150, never mind the top 50.
Over to you - would you consider reinstalling or going back to Pokemon GO with these new updates?