The CEO behind Pokemon Go just dropped some big hints to the future of the game

Advertisement

niantic john hanke

Niantic

Niantic CEO John Hanke

Niantic CEO John Hanke, the chief executive behind the smash-hit smartphone game Pokémon Go, stopped by San Diego Comic-Con on Sunday to drop some big hints as to the future of the game.

Advertisement

Here's what Hanke revealed, in a conversation with host and Nerdist founder Chris Hardwick, as reported by ComicBook.com:

  • Sorry about the servers: Hanke told the San Diego crowd that Niantic's servers "weren't provisioned for what happened" and the hit that it became, and that the company's engineers are working on keeping the servers up and reliable before they add new features. Similarly, Hanke also says they're working on fixing things like the busted Pokémon radar system.
  • Rare Pokémon are coming: "There are some rare ones that haven't showed up yet that will be showing up." That's important, given that only 145 out of the total 151 Pokémon have been accounted for by players worldwide.
  • Your team will be more important: Each Pokémon team - Team Instinct (Yellow), Team Valor (Red), and Team Mystic (Blue) - has one of the three Legendary Bird Pokémon associated with it, and that might play into which of those same birds players can catch. "They're kinda aligned with the teams, and we might have something to announce about the teams soon," says Hanke. Plus, the leaders of each time will start dispensing advice to players sooner rather than later, Hanke says.
  • Turning Pokéstops into Pokémon Centers: Hanke hints you'll be able to turn some Pokéstops in the game into Pokémon Centers, where you can heal your Pokémon, in accordance with the original video games that Pokémon Go is based on.
  • Players haven't found everything: Players of Pokémon Go have independently discovered that giving an Eevee the name of "Pyro," "Rainer," or "Sparky" will ensure that it evolves into Flareon, Vaporeon, or Jolteon, respectively. Hanke says there are plenty more little "easter eggs" like that which players haven't found.

Hanke confirmed that Pokémon trading is coming to the game, which he had previously told Business Insider. Meanwhile, players are starting to hit the limits of what the game currently has to offer, as Brooklyn-based Nick Johnson has caught all 142 Pokémon currently available in the United States.

Complimentary Tech Event
Transform talent with learning that works
Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

Read ComicBook.com's whole Pokémon Go live blog here>>

NOW WATCH: A reporter was caught playing Pokémon GO during an ISIS press briefing