Right, So Niantic Wants Us to Level Up to 80 in Pokémon GO – And The Datamine Hints It's a Familiar Grind...
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
Datamined leaks suggest Pokémon GO is about to bump its level cap to 80, bringing with it a hefty list of familiar-looking tasks that have the community cautiously optimistic and gently skeptical about the impending grind.
Right, so another day, another rumour swirling in the digital aether – this time, it's all about Pokémon GO, our beloved pocket monster wrangling simulator. If you're anything like me, you've probably spent more hours than you care to admit chasing down a shiny or finally nailing that perfect throw. Well, buckle up, mate, because it looks like Niantic is about to give us another mountain to climb, or rather, 30 new levels to grind through. A recent datamine has apparently blown the lid off the new level-up requirements for Pokémon GO, hinting at what it'll take to reach the dizzying heights of Level 80. This intriguing bit of gossip first surfaced on TheSilphRoad on Reddit, and the astute eyes over at Game Rant, specifically Matthew Schomer, quickly picked up on it, laying out the alleged facts for us all.
For those who've been around since the halcyon days of July 2016, you'll remember a time when Level 40 was the absolute pinnacle. You could keep hoovering up XP, sure, but the level-up bell just wouldn't ring anymore. Then, in 2020, Niantic (bless 'em, or curse 'em, depending on the update) decided to stretch that horizon, pushing the cap to Level 50. But it wasn't just about XP anymore, was it? Oh no, they introduced those pesky, often time-consuming, Level-Up Research tasks for the final ten levels. Think of them as boss fights for your trainer career – you needed to prove your worth beyond just endless catches.
Now, barely a few years later, they’re at it again, announcing a jump from 50 all the way to 80. Thirty whole new levels! That's like finding a secret expansion pack nobody told you about, only with more walking. The big question, naturally, was: what fresh hell (or delightful challenge, depending on your perspective) would these new levels entail? And that, my friends, is where our friendly neighbourhood dataminers come in. The info doing the rounds on Reddit paints a rather clear, if a tad déjà vu-inducing, picture.
According to these alleged leaks, much of what awaits us between Level 71 and 80 feels... familiar. Like Niantic opened a dusty old spellbook, mumbled an incantation, and just pushed the 'delay by 30 levels' button. Many of the required tasks seem to be recycled from the old level 40-50 climb, just shifted up the ladder. On one hand, fair dinkum, it means experienced players will have a good idea of what they're in for. On the other hand, it does make one wonder if this is genuine innovation or just a slightly remixed playlist of the same old bangers.
Let's peek behind the curtain at a few of these alleged hurdles, shall we? To hit **Level 71**, you'll need 15 platinum medals, power up Legendary or Mythical Pokémon 20 times, make 999 Nice Throws (easy peasy, lemon squeezy, but oh-so-many throws!), and catch 100 Pokémon in a single day. Sounds like a busy Tuesday, doesn't it?
**Level 72** ramps it up to 20 platinum medals, completing a route seven days in a row (there’s that new feature!), 200 supereffective Charged Attacks, and a cool 1 million Stardust. By **Level 73**, you're looking at 25 platinum medals, purifying 100 Shadow Pokémon (prepare for some painful decisions), powering up three Pokémon to their max CP, and winning 30 raids.
Things continue to escalate. **Level 74** requires 30 platinum medals, leveling up a Max Move 20 times, exploring 200 km (get those walking shoes on!), and completing 250 Field Research Tasks. When you're nearing the summit at **Level 75**, it's 34 platinum medals, 999 Great Throws, hatching 75 eggs (the incubator industry rejoices!), and sending 500 gifts to friends (time to prune that friend list if it's not active!).
Mid-climb, at **Level 76**, you'll need 38 platinum medals, defeating 100 Team GO Rocket grunts (prepare for many 'Prepare for trouble!'), exploring 300 km, and catching 200 Pokémon in a single day (double that Level 71 challenge!). **Level 77** pushes for 41 platinum medals, winning 100 Max Battles (a new challenge indeed), powering up seven Pokémon to their maximum CP, and making 10 trades with Pokémon caught at least 300 km apart (hello, international friends!).
Closing in on the final stretch, **Level 78** asks for 44 platinum medals, earning 400 hearts with Buddy Pokémon (that's a lot of feeding and photos!), exploring 400 km, and completing 500 Field Research Tasks. For **Level 79**, you'll need 47 platinum medals, defeating a Team GO Rocket leader 30 times, obtaining 50 Lucky Pokémon in trades (now *that's* a test of friendship and RNG!), and hatching 100 eggs.
And finally, for the grand finale, **Level 80**: 50 platinum medals, winning 80 trainer battles in the GO Battle League (PvP warriors, unite!), making 999 Excellent Throws (the ultimate test of skill and patience), and winning 80 raids. Bloody hell, that's a list!
What does this all mean for us, the intrepid trainers? Well, it's a bit of a mixed bag, isn't it? Some tasks, like the mass 'Nice Throws' or purifying Shadow Pokémon, are more about sheer volume and time commitment. Others, though, like racking up 50 Lucky Pokémon through trades, feel like they're leaning heavily on luck, social interaction, and maybe a bit of digital wizardry. It's the kind of task that can have you tearing your hair out or celebrating like you just won the lottery, all depending on your friends' luck and generosity. And let's not forget those 'explore X km' tasks – fantastic for encouraging outdoor activity, but perhaps a bit daunting for those in less walkable areas.
Unsurprisingly, the initial reaction from the community has been a bit... spicy. Many Level 50 players, having already scaled one virtual Everest, are looking at these recycled tasks and wondering if they've got the energy (or the sanity) for a repeat performance. It’s like Niantic is asking us to do our homework again, but this time with a slightly different coloured pen. While new challenges can certainly force players out of their comfort zones and encourage engagement with all aspects of the game (and let’s be fair, new content is generally good), there’s a fine line between engaging grind and repetitive busywork. Is this a clever way to extend the game's longevity, or simply a way to keep those engagement metrics looking pretty? My inner sceptic whispers, "A bit of both, mate."
Now, while we're all pondering this impending level grind, there are also a couple of big Pokémon GO events looming in October. The Pokémon Legends: Z-A Celebration Event is kicking off, bringing special background versions of Chikorita, Totodile, and Tepig. And for our mates in India, the Festival of Lights is returning with glowing Pokémon and unique Pikachu variants. So, plenty to keep us busy, regardless of whether we're ready to tackle Level 80 or just enjoying the ride.
In the grand scheme of things, more content for Pokémon GO is rarely a *bad* thing, but the devil, as always, is in the details of the grind. We'll have to see if these new levels feel like a refreshing challenge or just a prolonged exercise in digital déjà vu. Either way, get ready to walk, catch, trade, and battle – seems like Niantic's got big plans for our trainer careers!
Tags: PokemonGO, MobileGaming, Leveling, Datamine, LiveService
Original article: Game Rant