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Pokémon Go adds updates in bid to revive dying app

Johannesburg - Pokémon Go has released its latest and biggest update as it fights to regain relevance, after becoming a short-lived hit in mid-2016.

Pokémon Go players will now be able to complete daily tasks that will become available to them during this week. According to Niantic, the developer of the app, users will be able to contribute to two different types of research: Field Research and Special Research.

“Players will be able to gather Field Research tasks by spinning nearby PokéStops, which will give them objectives that include discovering and catching certain Pokémon or engaging with battles, among other things. Special Research may be requested by Professor Willow [a Pokémon Professor who appears in the Pokémon Go mobile game] himself, and will take you on a journey to make important discoveries,” Niantic said. 

The research will offer users rewards, including in-game items and even encounters with certain Pokémon. After becoming a phenomenon for two months after its release, the mobile game - which accounted for 28.4% of all US app purchases in August 2016 - fought irrelevance when users stopped playing it. 

Fin24 reported that Pokémon Go’s US paying population declined by 79% since the number of in-game buyers peaked on July 15 2016. At the time South African users made use of third-party websites to download the game, while it had not officially released in the country. On October 4 2016 Pokémon Go became available officially in South Africa.

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