Niantic has announced that companion device Pokémon Go Plus will be available from next week.
In a post on the company’s website, it’s been stated that the wrist-bound device will launch on September 16 in ‘much of the world’.
The Plus allows trainers to engage in the most important Go activities without having the app open. When players pass a Pokéstop the device will flash, and with a press of a button, players will be able to visit the stop and collect items.
The same process occurs when a nearby Pokémon is sighted – it’s possible to catch that millionth Drowzee using the Plus alone. There is a catch (the other kind of catch), however: you can use the Plus to catch Pokémon already in your collection. To trap any new critters players will have to use the full app.
The Plus uses low-power tech to preserve both its own battery and that of your phone.
We would expect for suppliers to have updated pre-order pages with the new release date, but according to Amazon UK, the device is available on October 5 and will cost a startling £69.99. If you want to pre-order, we suggest you visit Nintendo’s own website, where the price is listed as £34.99 and the release date is correct.
The Pokémon Go Plus will help players cope with the endless grind of the same Pokémon over and over. The most extreme example of this is Magikarp, which requires 400 candies in order to evolve into Gyrados.