Later this year, veteran Pokémon GO players will finally get something many of them have been asking about for years: The game’s level cap for trainers is getting increased. Currently, players max out at level 50. But in October, the level cap will be increased to 80 for all players, doubling the limit Pokémon Go launched with in 2016.
On August 25, Niantic announced in a blog post that it was rebalancing the level-up “journey” in the company’s incredibly popular mobile Pokémon game. When October 15 rolls around, Niantic will release a free update for GO that will increase the game’s trainer level cap from 50 to 80. This new update will also add new milestone rewards, cosmetics, and more. Niantic says leveling up from 1 to 80 will be a more “rewarding leveling journey” compared to the current path from 1 to 50. Here are all the changes Niantic is bringing in the October update:
- The level cap will increase from level 50 to level 80.
- The overall leveling curve from level 1 to 80 will be rebalanced, and players can earn levels more frequently.
- Tasks for Level-Up Research for levels 41 to 50 will be removed.
- New Level-Up Research tasks will be added to levels 71 to 80.
- Players at level 70 and higher have an increased chance of becoming Lucky Friends with other players.
- New rewards will be added to level-up progression, like increased storage capacity for Pokémon, items, and Gifts. This includes new avatar items starting at level 25!
Niantic says that some players with “previously earned experience” will “automatically jump in level” when the update goes live. Those players will still get any new rewards they are owed. The company also confirmed that no players will go down in level, but the amount of XP needed to reach your next level might change after the update.
The game’s original level cap for trainers was 40 before it was raised to 50 in November 2020. While the new October update will finally increase this for trainers, Pokémon levels will not see a similar bump to 80 and will remain capped at 50.
Right before the update goes live, Pokémon Go players will receive a special medal permanently marking their highest achieved level from the 1 to 50 era. And for those who reached level 50, you’ll get a new avatar pose that will let you show off the jacket that is currently awarded upon maxing out the trainer level. This jacket, as well as all other cosmetics earned between 40 and 50, will be vaulted, and new players won’t be able to earn them. So if you’re close to reaching 50 and want that cool jacket to show off, you need to level up before October 15.
To help players hit 50 before the new update goes live later this year, Niantic has activated a number of bonuses in Pokémon Go for all players that will remain in place until October 14. These bonuses, listed below, will stack with event bonuses, too.
- 2× Catch XP from Nice, Great, and Excellent Throws
- +3,000 XP from winning raids
- +3,000 XP from winning Max Battles
So get out there and catch a bunch of Pokémon and turn them into candy before October 15 so you can level up to 50 and forever show off that awesome jacket that new players won’t be able to get. You’ll feel so special and exclusive. And isn’t that what we all want in life?