Pokemon Go Finally Getting PvP Trainer Battles Soon

PvP battles are finally on the way to Pokemon Go. Developer Niantic had previously teased that the highly requested feature was in development, although it hadn't provided any details on when they would arrive or how they would operate. Now, the official Pokemon Go Twitter account has shared a new screenshot that gives us our first glimpse at them.

The image, which you can see below, should look immediately familiar to anyone who has played a mainline Pokemon game. It shows a rival player standing at the opposite end of a battle arena, with a designated spot for each trainer's Pokemon in the middle of the field.

Beyond that, Niantic also revealed that Trainer Battles will have three separate Leagues--Great, Ultra, and Master--but we still don't know how they'll be initiated or whether they'll use the same combat system as Gym and Raid Battles, which have you tapping the screen quickly to power up Charged attacks. It appears we won't have to wait too long to learn more, however, as Niantic says the feature will be added to the game "soon."

Niantic has been working on a number of new features for Pokemon Go this year. Earlier this summer, the developer rolled out friends lists and trading, while this month saw the arrival of Adventure Sync, a feature that allows the game to track your walking distance even when idle. Niantic is also testing a PokeStop nomination system, although that is currently only available to high-level players in certain parts of the world.

Pokemon Go's latest Community Day kicked off on November 30. This time, the event ran through the entire weekend and brought back all of the featured Pokemon and special moves from previous Community Days. Niantic also rolled out a new set of Field Research on December 1, which likewise brings back previously featured Pokemon and tasks.