A man holds up his phone as he plays the 'Pokemon Go' game on July 13, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo : Getty Images/Robert Cianflone)
Exciting things are happening for the mobile gaming app "Pokemon Go." Niantic recently deployed its beta-version of the game's enhanced Nearby feature to select areas in the U.S., Canada and Australia.
"Pokemon Go" players now have the chance to test out the improved version of the game's Pokemon tracking system, namely the Nearby feature. In a statement posted on the game's official Facebook page, Niantic announced that it deployed the said feature's beta version in Australia and all the U.S. states located west of the Mississippi River, except for Alaska and Hawaii.
Apart from the said locations, several Canadian areas were also given access to the new "Pokemon Go" Nearby feature. Players located in the western half of Ontario can now test and enjoy the said system, as well as British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Shortly after "Pokemon Go" was released, the Nearby feature was pulled out from the mobile gaming app due to glitches and other bugs. A test version was then released in select San Francisco areas where Niantic collected feedback from players to further enhance the said Pokemon locator system.
With a more expanded test area, it appears that Niantic is looking to gain more insights from avid "Pokemon Go" gamers. In the gaming company's social media announcement, Niantic promised to track the gaming community's feedback and make the necessary adjustments to the Nearby feature, as needed.
Meanwhile, a list posted on The Silph Road's Reddit forum revealed the list of the strongest non-legendary Pokemon creatures following Niantic's latest combat power (CP) changes. With the adjustments to CP numbers that decreased and increased the levels of some Pokemon monsters, Dragonite topped the list with a new max CP of 3,582.
Other "Pokemon Go" characters that made it to the top five include Snorlax (3,355 max CP), Rhydon (3,301), Gyarados (3,281) and Vaporeon (3,157). Lapras (2,981) landed at number six, followed by Exeggutor (2,917), Golem (2,917), Flareon (2,905) and Machamp (2,889).
In other news, "Pokemon Go" gamers can enjoy double XP points and Stardust rewards given Niantic's Thanksgiving event. The special bonus event is a way for Niantic to convey its gratitude to players for their support, according to an announcement posted on the "Pokemon" official website.
The "Pokemon Go" Thanksgiving event will run from Nov. 23 until Nov. 30. Learn more about the said event in the clip below:
