“Pokémon Go” fans will likely cheer when they learn that the company that built the app, Niantic, is bringing back a defining feature from the the game’s heyday.
Niantic has plans to allow players to trade the Pokemon they’ve captured with other players, the firm’s CEO, John Hanke, told Business Insider Friday.
While the game currently only allows users to “transfer” their Pokémon, effectively losing the creature, trading would allow a player to give away their Pokémon in exchange for another from their peer.
The smartphone app, which has taken the world by storm in the past few days, takes advantage of augmented reality, making it seem as if players are capturing Pokémon in real life. The app also added $7.5 billion worth in market cap to Pokemon’s creator, Nintendo, in Japan. The game maker has been struggling over the past year, after CEO Satoru Iwata died, while its first smartphone app, Miitomo, failed to perform.
Nintendo also has plans to release a wristband, the $35 Pokémon Go Plus, later this year. The device alerts players when a Pokémon or PokeStop is nearby, and connects to smartphones via Bluetooth. Preorders have already sold out on GameStop and Amazon.
Of course, the developers will have to fix the apps current issues before they can safely roll out new features. Players have reported significant server issues and problems signing up.
