Pokemon Go Dev Is Talking About Player-Versus-Player Battles

Pokemon Go is getting Apple Watch support, and we learned recently that support for Android devices could be coming as well. Now, thanks to an interview with Tech Crunch, we know that developer Niantic is also talking about bringing player-versus-player battles to the augmented-reality game.

"I have [a] 10 year old son--he's my Pokemon expert, we play together--he wants to battle his friends in Pokemon Go," Niantic CEO John Hanke said. "Battling is something we talk a lot about. It's probably something that will make its way onto our roadmap."

Hanke added that the company is also talking about trading, something that he previously confirmed as a feature and said is "kind of a core element." He explained to Business Insider that trading encourages people to talk and interact in both the game and the real world, which is important to Niantic and Pokemon Go.

It's important to note that battling hasn't been officially confirmed as a feature on its way. Additionally, trading still doesn't have a solid release date. We'll keep you updated as more information is revealed.

For those who want to try out new features now, Pokemon Go recently received an update that adds the Buddy system, in addition to Plus support and some animation and network reliability fixes. You can now make one of your Pokemon a "buddy" and walk around with them, earning candies as you reach distance milestones.

The Pokemon Go Plus is a wearable device that alerts you of nearby PokeStops and Pokemon. The device has a button, but you can only use it to catch Pokemon you've already caught--you'll have to take your phone out to catch new Pokemon and collect items. You can find out everything you need to know about the Plus here.