Pokemon Go Adding "Lucky Pokemon" In New Update

Niantic is releasing another new update for Pokemon Go. The update is in the process of rolling out for both iOS and Android devices, and along with a handful of bug fixes and performance improvements, it introduces another new feature to the mobile game: Lucky Pokemon.

According to Niantic, following the update, some Pokemon will now become "Lucky Pokemon" when traded to another player. These special monsters will be denoted by a sparkling background, and what makes them particularly desirable is that they require less Stardust to power up, meaning players can raise the Pokemon's Combat Power much faster than normal.

It's unclear what other variables factor into whether or not a Pokemon you receive in a trade will become a Lucky one. However, Niantic notes that the longer a Pokemon has been sitting in a player's storage, the higher its likelihood is of becoming a Lucky Pokemon.

In addition to Lucky Pokemon, the latest Pokemon Go update adds another incentive to send Gifts. Now, players who send Gifts to their friends will be rewarded with XP. The Gifts themselves also now have a chance of containing Stardust, in addition to their usual assortment of items (including special Eggs that hatch into Alolan forms of certain Pokemon).

Trading and Gifting were first introduced in Pokemon Go earlier this summer, along with the much-requested friends system. Players can now register each other as friends by exchanging numerical friend codes. Once registered, they can then send Gifts to other trainers on their friends list. Players can also trade Pokemon with friends, but that can only be done in-person.

A new Legendary Pokemon, Registeel, recently began appearing in Pokemon Go. Players will be able to encounter the Legendary Steel-type in Raid Battles until August 21. Niantic also recently shared details for the game's next Community Day event, which this time takes place on two days--August 11 and 12--and features Eevee.

This story has been updated.