Avid Pokemon GO fans are in for some exciting news as Niantic has announced the second double XP event in the game following the Halloween event last month, ahead of the Thanksgiving week.
Players will be able to collect double XP and Double stardust while performing specific set of in-game tasks such as catching Pokemon, spinning Pokestops, hatching eggs or competing in gym battles.
The new double XP event will start on 23 November at 00:00 UTC and extend through 30 November till 00:00 UTC as players hunt for bonus stardust and experience points through the entire Thanksgiving holiday week.
Although veteran Pokemon players have unearthed numerous ways to obtain stardust in the game, only a few of these methods will work effectively in doubling your bonus rewards. Niantic has admitted in its official announcement that the holiday special events are a way to thank players for their unflinching support for the game:
Trainers,
It has been an incredible experience since we launched Pokémon GO a few short months ago in July. We are passionate about creating experiences that encourage exploration and promote exercise. We are humbled that hundreds of millions of you around the world have joined us on this journey. So we would like to say thank you – and what better way to say thank you than to celebrate our community.
So, starting November 23rd at 00:00 UTC and going through November 30th 00:00 UTC, we will double the amount of XP and Stardust you receive when completing in-game actions.
Niantic's move to offer special rewards and bonus experience to players comes in the wake of enhancing the replay value of the game and retaining its loyal fanbase.
It must be noted that the latest APK version (v0.45.0) of the game brings over 100 new Pokemon from the second generation list. However, there is no word on when these fresh set of Pokemons will be enabled in the game.
In related news, game developers have acknowledged that they have tweaked the combat power (CP) stats of some Pokemons wherein some have higher CP while others have significantly lower CP than before.
Developers suggest that such a move arises from the need to create more balance in gym battles, wherein the most overpowered Pokemons have been dominating the events and making it look one-sided:
We have made adjustments to the CP (Combat Power) of various Pokémon. Some Pokémon, such as Alakazam, Rhydon, and Gengar will have their CP increased. Others will have their CP lowered. These changes will allow a more balanced and competitive battling and training experience in Gyms. We will continue to adjust the CP going forward to improve the game balance when necessary.
Interested gamers can go ahead and download the latest version of Pokemon GO for iOS and Android free via the App Store and Google Play Store respectively. The latest APK files for the Android version are also available via APK mirror.
